Those who develop emergency response plans are urged to ensure that producers’ mental health plays a major role
Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing wants to strengthen regional crisis liaisons for farmers. Briana Hagen, chief executive officer and the centre’s lead scientist, spoke at the Animal Health Canada annual forum in Ottawa this fall. Research on the mental well-being of producers over the past 10 years “paints a bit of […] Read moreTag Archives mental health — page 3
Mental health counselling service in Alta. runs out of money
AgKnow lays off all its staff due to funding shortfall but uses automation to allow clients to continue accessing services
A popular program that offered free mental health counselling to farmers has paused its services because of a lack of money, says its director. Linda Hunt said without bridge financing, or more permanent financing, AgKnow had no choice but to lay off all its staff, including herself, at the end of October. Money the organization […] Read more
Cow cuddling the latest in animal therapy
There’s something about animals that many humans find therapeutic. Well, maybe not a grizzly bear charging out of the tree line, but lots of other animals. Many people find animals so calming that they have been incorporated into formal therapy programs. Dog therapy is probably one of the most well-known, whether it be formalized therapy […] Read more
KAP to lobby province for farmer well-being licence plates
Money raised from sale of the plates would support the Manitoba Farmer Wellness program, which launched in 2022
Glacier FarmMedia – Keystone Agricultural Producers plans to lobby the Manitoba government to allow specialty licence plates that would support mental wellness programs for farmers. A resolution requesting the effort was passed at the organization’s advisory council meeting earlier this summer. Money raised from the sale of the plates, if approved, would go toward Manitoba […] Read more
Agriculture community invited to ‘talk it out’ about mental health via free online platform
Agriculture community invited to ‘talk it out’ about mental health via free online platform Farmers and other folks working in agriculture are invited to ‘talk it out’ about mental health via a free, online support platform from the Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag). “None of us have to be alone with our thoughts. […] Read more
Take action on mental health
The first part of the busy season is (mostly) in the rear-view mirror, so you may be taking stock of how your operation performed and are planning improvements in the next few months. As you analyze your operation, take time to check in with your team. Long hours in the tractor and late nights calving […] Read more
VIDEO: Losing our identity can be difficult
If you pull out the farmer part, is there anything left? That’s a question that plagues the minds of so many farmers and haunts the dark hours of the night if their farm is in some way “failing.” Drought, debt, a crippling injury, a divorce — all these can cause a farm as a business […] Read more
Recovering Farmer speaks up
Glacier FarmMedia – Gerry Friesen is doing an uncomfortable thing. He’s putting both his name and internal struggles out for the world to see, in an effort to break the silence around farmers’ mental health. The Recovering Farmer, as Friesen has long been known on his blog, has taken his message from the digital space […] Read more
Farmers’ health is now on the agenda at more ag shows
Farm organizations want the vocation’s physical and mental strains to be included in daily planning discussions
Farming conferences around the province have been adding a new topic in recent years — health. Booths and presentations have been raising awareness about mental and physical health problems that could be a concern for farmers and their families. Megz Reynolds, executive director of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, has been raising awareness about the […] Read more
Man. gov’t funds farm family wellness program
The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program will use the $450,000 boost from Ottawa and the province to expand services
A $450,000 funding announcement for the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program made at Manitoba Ag Days last month came as a surprise to Gerry Friesen. “I feel overwhelmed, said Friesen, the group’s chief administrative officer. “You know, a lot of times when you get announcements like this, there’s somewhat of a lead-up. We were kind of […] Read more
