One of America’s most crucial, yet often forgotten about industries is agriculture. In particular, farmers seem to always be left out of the minds of people, despite the fact they produce our food. Farmers are reaching a crisis point, and a new study by the CDC sheds some light on how deep these struggles go.

According to a recent CDC study, the suicide rate of farmers has increased significantly over the past decade. Farmers now have the highest rate of suicide for any occupation, which is five times the national average. The study included farmers, fishers, and forestry related agricultural positions. According to modernfarming.com, roughly 86% of farmers are men. With men statistically already at a higher risk of suicide, these statistics are alarming. CDC reports that despite the spike of self-harm and suicides over the past 30 years, suicide amongst agricultural workers has outpaced even the rising trend.

What is causing this? There are a number of theories. Most prominently, CBS News suggests a myriad of afflictions that could be contributing to this epidemic. The first problem is isolation. Not only can farming be an incredibly lonely job, farmers are often large distances from proper mental healthcare professionals. Some mental health professionals do conduct sessions via online access, but this isn’t always the case and certainly many farmers fall into this gap. There is still quite a lot of stigma surrounding seeking mental health treatment as well. Stigmas that may be considered obstacles for those who desperately need it’s help.