Fort Valley, GA |

At a time when farm families across the state continue to face economic pressure, weather uncertainty, and mounting day-to-day challenges, the 2026 Georgia Farm Stress Summit is aiming to meet the moment.

According to John McElveen, Director of the Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance, this year’s summit comes at a critical time for Georgia agriculture.

“It couldn’t come at a more opportune time,” McElveen said. “First of all, in terms of being able to support our farm families and communities during a time of tremendous stress and challenges.”

The 2026 summit will be held at the Pettigrew Family Farm Life Center on the campus of Fort Valley State University — the largest facility the event has used since its inception. McElveen says the expanded space reflects both the growth of the event and the growing need for resources centered on rural mental health and well-being.

New Pre-Conference Research Forum

In addition to the full-day summit on March 12, organizers are adding something new this year: a pre-conference research discussion on March 11.

“We’re going to have a pre-conference, informal research discussion where researchers who are interested in supporting the mental health and well-being and safety and health of rural Georgians and our farm families can come in and share with each other what their research interests are, their recent research or ongoing research and talk and share a little bit about that,” McElveen explained.

The goal, he says, is to create stronger collaboration among researchers, universities, and organizations focused on farm stress and rural wellness.

“We hope that that’ll create more collaboration around this research question,” McElveen added.

Connecting Research to the Farm

Beyond classroom discussion, organizers are also planning a local farm tour at Pearson Farm in Fort Valley. The tour will give attendees the opportunity to see firsthand the realities facing producers while fostering conversation in a practical, on-the-ground setting.

By combining research collaboration, educational programming, and direct engagement with producers, the summit is designed to bridge the gap between academic insight and real-world agricultural challenges.

Supporting Georgia’s Farm Families

The Georgia Farm Stress Summit is part of a broader effort led by the Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance to address the mental health needs of rural communities. As input costs remain high, commodity markets fluctuate, and unpredictable weather continues to impact operations, stress levels in farm country remain elevated.

Events like this summit aim to ensure that farmers, ranchers, researchers, and community partners are not facing those pressures alone.