Making healthcare accessible to our nation’s growers

By Matthew Espenshade

Every meal begins with a farmer. On National Farmers Day (Oct. 12), we celebrate the backbone of our nation – the farmers and ranchers whose work sustains our communities, our economy and our way of life.

Farming is not for the faint of heart. From unpredictable weather and rising fuel costs to volatile markets and shrinking margins, today’s farmers face challenges that test even the most resilient workers. Add in the stress of climate change and supply chain disruptions, and the job of feeding the world becomes even more precarious.

But despite these hurdles, America’s farmers persevere. They adapt, innovate, and find new ways to steward the land and provide for all our families. This makes it even more disappointing to know that our farmers, and their rural communities, are so often the ones left behind by 21st-century innovation and infrastructure.

Pennsylvania’s rural counties are projected to lose nearly six percent of their population over the next couple of decades – a shift driven largely by young people leaving in favor of more urban or suburban regions. As these communities age, the growing number of retirees puts a strain on community resources and especially puts stress on already limited rural healthcare providers.

What we need now is innovation and investment in resources that will help bridge the gap between urban and rural services to ensure Pennsylvania’s farming communities are able to access the same quality of care as their suburban and city neighbors.

One of the most powerful tools we have in protecting the health of rural communities is early detection through routine screenings. Preventive screenings, such as those for colorectal cancer, help to identify life-threatening conditions before symptoms appear, dramatically improving treatment outcomes and reducing long-term health costs. Unfortunately, access to these screenings can be uneven, especially in rural areas where healthcare infrastructure is often limited, and many must travel long distances to see a specialist. 

Thankfully, the wheels of medical innovation never stop turning – advancements in cancer screenings and testing are making preventive care more accessible for rural communities. For example, Shield is the first FDA-approved blood-based screening test for colorectal cancer – a disease that kills 34 percent of diagnosed Pennsylvanians, even though, if caught early, colorectal cancer has up to a 91 percent five-year survival rate.

A screening test that only requires a simple blood draw means it can be done by any physician you see regularly. This is especially impactful for rural communities, as reports show that 34 percent of Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals (17 locations) are at risk of closing, with nine at risk of immediate closure.

Healthy farmers help build a healthy America. Medical innovation that makes preventive care more accessible will ensure that, even as rampant hospital closures are putting specialists further and further away from Pennsylvania’s farmers, critical screenings will remain in reach.

On this National Farmers Day, let’s do more than just thank our farmers. Let’s support them. Buy local when you can, advocate for policies that bring critical resources back to rural Pennsylvania and support innovations that help bridge the gap between rural farmers and the urban and suburban communities they feed.

America’s farmers keep us fed, keep us healthy. Today, let’s focus on doing the same for them.

Matt Espenshade is the President of the Pennsylvania State Grange.