Canadian farmers need better mental health supports, says a report from the federal standing committee on agriculture.
The report tabled in the House of Commons May 28 contains 10 recommendations made after the committee undertook its study of rural mental health, hearing from farmers and experts in a series of meetings.
The all-party committee members acknowledged that existing support isn’t enough.
“Access to mental health care is still limited in rural areas, health professionals are still not familiar with the unique nature of agriculture, and current efforts to help farmers are not consistent across the country,” the report said.
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MPs heard there should be a more consistent, national mental-health strategy for farmers.
One recommendation suggests Ottawa oversee from a national perspective the co-ordination of research and prevention activities targeting farmers’ mental health.
Other recommendations said that the government and its departments, when considering and implementing changes, should take into account the impact those will have on people and take action to mitigate stress.
This could include providing enough consultation time, ensuring that everyone is informed and withdrawing changes or amending them if the negative impact on agriculture will be too great.
The committee also tackled the issue of social media and cyberbullying and noted a difference between public perception and the reality of farming. The lack of understanding causes distress, particularly when an individual’s integrity is targeted, it said.
Andrew Campbell, an Ontario dairy farmer who uses social media to communicate about his operation, said he had been cyberbullied.
“I’ve been told online that I’m a murderer,” he testified. “My wife has been asked why she would ever be with someone who rapes animals.”
Ontario hog farmer Stewart Skinner also told how he’d been attacked for raising animals for food.
Others said that social media has also offered support and helped ease the isolation many farmers face. They want better connectivity, which would help them access mental health services.
The committee noted that the government has programs to combat cyberbullying and recommended that it work with farmers and other agricultural stakeholders to develop public awareness campaigns to deal with that sector.
“The committee recommends that the government of Canada consider including any form of intimidation or cyberbullying targeted at any group of Canadians based on their occupation or place of residence as a Criminal Code offense,” the report said.
The committee said farmers’ mental health has been overlooked for too long; the economic and financial dimensions of agriculture get more attention.
The Conservative members of the committee issued their own supplementary report. It calls on the government to recognize the damage its federal carbon tax is causing and immediately scrap it and to take measures to prevent unprovoked social media attacks by animal rights activists.
