American Family Farmer

On this episode of American Family Farmer, host and American family farmer Doug Stephan welcomes Jeff Winton, Founder and Chairman of Rural Minds, for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about mental health in rural America. Drawing from his own upbringing on a dairy farm in upstate New York, Jeff shares how the unique challenges faced by farming and rural communities—like isolation, limited access to care, financial stress, and a culture of self-reliance—can make addressing mental health especially difficult. He explains how these barriers have contributed to a critical gap in support for the more than 46 million people living in rural areas across the country.Jeff opens up about the heartbreaking loss of his nephew in 2012, a turning point that led him to found Rural Minds and dedicate his life to breaking the silence and stigma surrounding mental illness in agricultural communities. Through advocacy, education, and storytelling, Rural Minds is working to ensure that farmers, ranchers, and rural fam