The ‘Khaki Farmer’ Embraces Technology on the Farm While Advocating for Behavioral Health

Jason Haglund, a fifth-generation Iowa farmer, combines a deep-rooted agricultural heritage with a career in behavioral healthcare, embodying a unique blend of tradition and innovation. His family farm, established in Boone County in 1885 by his Finnish-speaking Swedish great-great grandfather, J.B. Haglund, has been passed down through generations. Today, Jason, alongside his sister Lynae, brother-in-law Joshua Kruse, and their respective families, manages 500 acres of corn and soybeans. The farm's longevity highlights a remarkable evolution in farming practices, from oxen and horses to modern technology, a transformation Haglund finds 'mind-blowing.' Haglund is known as the “Khaki Farmer” on social media due to his distinctive work attire, reflecting his professional background. He is a prominent early adopter of technology in agriculture, constantly testing innovative products and methods. Inspired by high-yield farmers like David Hula and Randy Dowdy, Haglund integrates practices such as cover crops, late-season fungicide application, and advanced nutrient management to maximize land productivity. While not every experiment is successful—he recalls an intercropping trial of corn and soybeans that yielded little bump but sparked much neighborhood conversation—his off-farm income, shared with his wife and sister's family, allows them to take calculated risks and push boundaries in agricultural innovation. This willingness to experiment positions his farm at the forefront of technological advancements. Succession planning is a critical aspect of Haglund's farm management. He emphasizes its continuous nature, contrasting his desire for early retirement and control transfer with the common tendency of older farmers to retain authority. Having navigated the transition of land and equipment after his father's death, he and the Kruses have established their own succession plan, aiming to secure the farm's future for the sixth generation. Haglund believes that technology will continue to reshape farming in unforeseen ways, and he prefers to be an early adopter rather than a passive observer, testing new ideas even if they are not yet perfected. Beyond farming, Haglund has dedicated over two decades to behavioral healthcare, addiction treatment, prevention, and child welfare. Recognizing the limitations of individual patient care, he co-founded Rural Policy Partners in 2022 with former Iowa state legislator Renee Schulte. This consulting group focuses on influencing policy and educating politicians and the public about mental health needs in rural America. Their work addresses the growing recognition that access to behavioral health and addiction treatment is now a higher priority in rural communities than primary care, a finding supported by the Rural Healthy People 2030 report. Haglund travels extensively, advocating for integrating behavioral healthcare into the broader healthcare system and teaching healthcare professionals how to communicate effectively with farmers and ranchers, acknowledging the unique stressors and demands of their profession. He highlights the importance of candid, creative, and collaborative conversations, emphasizing that financial stress is a major contributor to mental health challenges in the agricultural community and underscores the need for robust succession planning to alleviate some of this burden. Haglund's dual roles demonstrate a commitment to both agricultural progress and rural well-being. He champions innovation on his farm while simultaneously striving to improve access to and understanding of behavioral health services for farming communities, recognizing that the health of the industry is intertwined with the mental health of its people. #AgriculturalTechnology #BehavioralHealth #RuralPolicyPartners #IowaFarming #SuccessionPlanning #CropManagement #MentalHealth #AgriculturalInnovation #AgriculturalTechnology #BehavioralHealth #RuralPolicyPartners #IowaFarming #SuccessionPlanning #CropManagement #MentalHealth #AgriculturalInnovation