Good afternoon,

Happy May! As you start your spring cleaning cooking, pick up some of these in-season favorites at the farmer's market for some flavorful freshness.

Here's news springing up around rural America this week...

MENTAL HEALTH IN RURAL AMERICA

• May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Geographic disparities contribute to poor mental health in rural America. A mental health provider shortage, lack of resources, geographic isolation, and stigma associated with mental illnesses all pose barriers to rural residents getting the mental health care they deserve.

• In 2021, the Health Resources and Services Administration designated 3,426 mental health professional shortage areas in rural America. The dearth of mental health services is affecting everyone from farmers to schoolchildren.

• Suicide rates amongst farmers are six times higher than the national average.

• President Biden has expanded access to mental health services and substance abuse treatment, including opioid addiction treatment, but more must be done to end the stigma and increase the availability of affordable mental health services in rural areas and schools.

• For mental health support, you can reach a trained crisis counselor through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

AAPI HERITAGE MONTH

• Rural America is often perceived as monolithic white bloc but there are almost one million rural residents who identify as Asian. These people are essential to American industries ranging from manufacturing to food and energy, and help feed, power, and care for all Americans.

• Unfortunately, anti-Asian sentiment and accompanying violence continues to restrict Asian immigrant and Asian Americans' socioeconomic opportunities, even as they have made massive contributions in the fight for civil rights, to feed America, build critical infrastructure, stimulate local economies, and bolster otherwise falling rural populations.

BLACK FARMERS SEEK FEDERAL DEBT RELIEF

• Over the years, the federal government broke a promise to provide debt relief and loan forgiveness to farmers of color.

• Due to discriminatory assistance and lending programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Black farm ownership plummeted from 14 percent in 1920 to a mere 1.7 percent as of 2020 – resulting in a loss of hundreds of billions of dollars of wealth in land ownership for Black farmers and their families.
   
• While federal payments remain stalled, OCP 2022 Rural Champions Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., have been pushing forward the Justice for Black Farmers Act to provide crucial relief for farmers who have faced discrimination. Check out the segment ABC This Week did this past Sunday to learn more.

• Today, the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development is holding a hearing to examine rural housing legislation.
   
• The Senate Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade Subcommittee is holding a two-part hearing series to examine commodity programs, credit, and crop insurance.
   
  • This morning's hearing focused on producer perspectives on the farm safety net.
  • This Thursday, they'll be focusing on industry perspectives on risk management and access to credit.

• At the University of Chicago’s campaign journalism conference, OCP founder and UChicago Institute of Politics Director Heidi Heitkamp discussed how the issue of education could impact the 2024 elections.
   
• Alabama House Minority Leader and OCP board member Anthony Daniels’ innovative bill to eliminate the state overtime tax was passed by the Alabama House last week, demonstrating how Democrats in red states are not only finding creative solutions to reduce tax burdens on the hard-working people in Alabama, but leading on them.
   

• PBS: Abortion bans fail in conservative South Carolina and Nebraska legislatures
   
• NPR: Abortion policies could make the Republican Party's 'suburban women problem' worse
   
• The Washington Post: The government is rescuing rural colleges that would otherwise close
   
• CNBC: These are the top Senate races to watch in 2024
   
• The Hill: Republican plan to cut spending would hurt rural communities, USDA says
   
• New York Times: Montana G.O.P. Bars Transgender Lawmaker From House Floor

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the U.S. could default on its debt as early as June 1 – much earlier than expected. President Biden has scheduled a meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for next Tuesday, May 9 to discuss lifting the debt ceiling.
 

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