Welcome to this Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio, brought to you by Bayer CropScience. Be sure to check them out at Ag in Motion this week! On today’s episode of the show, you’ll hear: Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton of the University of Guelph, on a recent mental health study from the University of Guelph; Tim Gardner… Read More
Tag: Andria Jones-Bitton
Mental health in Canadian agriculture is no longer a foreign term, however, there is still plenty of work to be done. A new study out of the University of Guelph has made that even more clear. Prior to this study, there was a study conducted in 2015-2016, says Andria Jones-Bitton, of the University of Guelph…. Read More
A mental health and wellness program designed specifically for farmers is launching this week in Ontario. The program, In the Know, was designed by Drs. Andria Jones-Bitton and Briana Hagen, with the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. It will be rolled out in 18 regions of Ontario. It was also launched in Manitoba earlier… Read More
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Put another way, if you can’t take care of you, you can’t take care of others, including livestock. The connection between farmers’ own mental wellness and livestock care is a direct link; in many cases of animal welfare complaints, the root cause is a stressed and/or mentally ill… Read More
The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) has hired Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton as OVC director of well-being programming. In this newly-created position, Jones-Bitton will provide well-being expertise founded on an understanding of current literature, focused training, and knowledge of emerging trends. “Andria brings a depth of knowledge and expertise in mental health and well-being research, particularly surrounding… Read More
Today’s episode of the show is a special one, recognizing World Mental Health Day. First, a shout-out to some programs and resources developed for rural and farming communities (links below the audio), then, interviews with: Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, University of Guelph, who talks mental health, how it impacts farms across Canada, and what we can… Read More
Economic health. Physical health. Environmental health. These are all factors we consider when looking at our overall health on the farm, but how often do we take a look at our mental health? We all know that farming is stressful, especially since it involves unpredictable variables such as weather, markets, and family. Farmers across the… Read More
I’m worried about the tone of many conversations I’ve had with dairy farmers recently. Following on the heels of the latest trade deal, many farmers are angry, feeling steamrolled, or, quite frankly, are afraid that their very livelihood is being threatened. It’s not just dairy farmers feeling the pinch, of course — farming carries a … Read More
A new mental health program for farmers called In The Know is being piloted this month in Ontario. Three versions of the program — developed over the past year at the University of Guelph with PhD candidate Briana Hagen and the guidance of a 30-member advisory committee consisting of farmers, veterinarians, mental health experts and… Read More
Canada’s leading advocate for mental health awareness in agriculture, University of Guelph veterinary medicine professor Andria Jones-Bitton, is in high demand at farm meetings to speak about her ground-breaking research results. Through her studies over the past three years, she’s discovered an abnormally high rate of depression and other mental illnesses among farmers (and veterinarians)…. Read More
Safety is one of the key selling points that agriculture uses to promote food produced on Canadian farms. It’s often mentioned in the same breath as freshness, wholesomeness and nutrition, mirroring what consumers say they value (besides local). Farmers take many on-farm measures to keep food safe — using sound environmental practices, and federally approved plant and animal health… Read More
No one is saying farmers aren’t tough. But when it comes to mental illness, it turns out they have the same vulnerabilities as everyone else – and more. A mental health literacy training program and mental health emergency response model for Ontario farmers are being created now, following early results of a study that shows… Read More
The final push is on this week to connect with farmers across Canada, for the first-ever national mental wellness survey of those who produce our food. Back when this initiative started in the fall, survey coordinator Prof. Andria Jones-Bitton of the University of Guelph, said she hoped to have 1,000 farmers involved in the survey… Read More