![Mark Rouark (left) and John Rouark, cotton farmers from Bostwick, Georgia, examine cotton plants in a test plot at the J. Phil Campbell Research and Education Center Field Day. Producers depend on UGA Extension agents for research-based advice to improve production practices. Now UGA faculty are working together to help farm communities under stress.](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/news/multimedia/images/8771/51527062292_1cdca44819_c.jpg)
Rural Stress
Farmers are tough. They work long days at physically demanding, often dangerous work and rarely get a break, much less a vacation. Months of hard work can be wiped out with a few days of bad weather, and they battle nature at every turn, from drought and floods to weeds and insects.