In an effort to support the mental health of farmers in Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has announced the Producer Mental Wellbeing Initiative. AAFC invites applications from for-profit and non-profit organizations, as well as individuals registered to do business in Canada, who can offer “innovative solutions to promote mental well-being and reduce stressors” affecting… Read More
Category: Mental Wellness
What does it mean to struggle well? In 2006, then Major Mark Gasparotto, now retired as a Colonel, led the combat engineers during Operation Medusa in Afghanistan, Canada’s largest combat mission since the Korean War. As a keynote speaker, Gasparotto now shares how the lessons learned on that mission, of leadership following friendly fire, of… Read More
Four times a year, RealAgristudies asks its Insights Panel the same series of questions regarding how they feel about an array of topics, from farm financial performance to capital investment timing and marketing the crop. Answers to the series of questions is compiled into the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index, which was initially launched in September… Read More
The mental wellness program that offers up to nine free confidential counselling sessions per year to Manitoba farmers, farm families, and their employees has received charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency. The designation is a milestone for the Manitoba Farm Wellness Program, says chair Marcel Hacault, in a Dec. 11 news release shared with… Read More
You’ve got to name it to tame it. What does that mean when it comes to how we manage in high-stress situations? In this second half of the conversation on burnout and managing stress, author and mental health advocate Dr. Jessica Metcalfe walks listeners through how to address burnout and anxiety on a daily basis… Read More
Farming is a high-stress profession that sees many participants shouldering heavy loads of worry and anxiety that can lead to burnout. Author and mental health advocate Dr. Jessica Metcalfe says it’s important for farmers and ranchers to recognize these conditions and take proactive steps to ensure the weight of agriculture doesn’t overwhelm their business and… Read More
Any farmer can tell you that farming has some very real challenges. The many hours spent alone in a tractor, the sudden disappointment of pests and disease, and being subject to changing environmental conditions can lead to a level of stress that most people outside of agriculture will never fully be able to fathom. So… Read More
Harvest is often a highlight of the year, but it can also be a stress-filled time, especially when combined with other factors outside of a farm’s control. In addition to the usual untimely weather and equipment breakdowns, the list of uncontrollable factors this harvest includes declining crop prices that are creating questions about profitability and… Read More
Programming through the Farmer Wellness Initiatives for Ontario farm workers will see a $538,000 funding boost through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP). Of that total, nearly $178,000 will be dedicated to supporting the delivery of services in Spanish. Delivered by Agriculture Wellness Ontario, a suite of free programming managed by the Canadian Mental Health… Read More
How often do we hear the old adage “farming is a lifestyle”? The simple fact is that while farming allows so many of us to live a beautiful way of life, connected to the land in a way that the majority of people could never imagine, it’s not an easy way of life. Unlike the… Read More