Women in the National Farmers Union say their biggest health concern is dealing with farm stress.
No NFU representatives could attend the Nov. 17 meeting in Young, Sask., because it coincided with the organization’s annual meeting.
However, Karen Pedersen, the NFU’s women’s president, said in a later interview the organization wants someone to look at the stress and farm accidents caused by the farm financial crisis. She suggested policy changes might come about if governments looked at the problem as a health issue.
The overtired farm women and men are trying to run a household, look after children, work at off-farm jobs and cope with low commodity prices.
Pedersen said if the federal government starts to better fund child care, it won’t help rural people if the system is based on urban realities.
