These decisions are often made in reaction to the fear of losing the family farm and, the impact of the decision to grow is often not considered well enough. This reactive thinking, and its consequences, causes more stress than it eliminates. Even if the bigger operation keeps the farm family economically viable, it lessens the 'family' part of farming and moves them towards a business model. This loss and the new business model incurs more stress. One cannot account for the unique nature of farm stress without discussing the 'isolation' factor.
Isolation is experienced in the industry of farming in many ways.
Farm families are isolated more and more from the personal resources required to assist them in doing their jobs well. In a standard plant one could find a human resources department, a research and development department, an occupational health and safety department, an accounting department, a quality control department and a repair shop. If you are in the industry of farming these resources are scattered hither and yon, are not co-ordinated with each other, and are left to the farm family to obtain. This type of isolation from resources causes a great deal of distress. Isolation also occurs in other ways.