May is Mental Health Awareness Month & Ag Econ. Barometer

**May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Georgia’s agricultural community is working to promote resources for rural Georgians to improve their behavioral and emotional health.

Ag Commissioner Gary Black tells www.gfb.org we are the backbones of our community and wellbeing starts within. Take proactive steps today to promote a healthy lifestyle.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture began developing mental health resources to share with Georgia's farming community and to address ongoing factors related to COVID-19.

www.gfb.org/media-and-publications/news.cms/2022/1263/may-is-mental-health-awareness-month

**The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer improved in April, rising 8 points to a reading of 121, but that remains 32% below its level from the same time last year.

Producer perspectives on current conditions and future expectations saw an uptick over the past month.

The Index of Current Conditions improved seven points to 120, and the Index of Future Expectations rose nine points to 122.

Rising commodity prices appear to be the reasons behind the improved financial outlook.

**Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the USDA is accepting more than two million acres in offers from agricultural producers and landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program’s general signup.

It’s the first of the program’s multiple signups occurring this year.

With about 3.4 million acres expiring this year, Vilsack encourages producers and landowners to consider the Grassland and Continuous signups, both of which are currently open.