In response to the need for stress management skills, Janis Hunter, a Clemson University Cooperative Extension agent in Anderson County, began a support group for dairy farm wives in 1995. Almost five years later, the group is still going strong. The need for the group was recognized through DairyMax, an interdisciplinary Extension program designed to incorporate business management principles into dairy farm operations. One of several DairyMax initiatives is stress management. It can be the equivalent of a paycheck being cut in half.
Long workdays keep the women isolated.
Their many responsibilities include home, family and dairy chores, which range from calf feeding to getting up hay. Often, dairy wives also keep farm financial records, so they are the first in their families to notice financial problems. They can't make any progress in finances until they deal with stress. All Upstate dairy wives are invited to the meetings. She's done a great job.