The Farmer Wellness Initiative is providing access to free counselling services tailored around Ontario producers and their families.
It’s funded through the CMHA and run through The Guardian Network Program.
Program Manager Marnie Wood says those in the world of agriculture experience higher anxiety because a lot of their work depends on things out of their control.
Improving the mental health of agricultural workers has been a decades-old fight, says Wood. And it’s a unique line of work, which is why she says they offer a more peer-to-peer approach with their counsellors.
A 2016 country-wide agricultural mental health survey showed 35% of farmers meet the classification of depression, 58% do for anxiety, and 68% of farmers are more succeptible to stress and mental illness.
Forty per cent of farmers also said they’re uneasy about seeking help for their concerns.
The initiative offers flexible hours for virtual or in-person therapy for farmers, and the counsellors either have been trained in, or have a background in farming.
Written by Grant Deme
