Investing in mental health help for ag

Jan 10, 2019

New campaign aims to support Ontario ag industry members dealing with mental health struggles

Staff Writer

Farms.com

Producers and ag industry members can benefit from a new public awareness campaign that identifies mental health challenges in the ag sector.

Ernie Hardeman, the provincial minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, launched the campaign to “encourage people to ask for help when daily struggles become too much to bear,” a Monday OMAFRA release said.

Hardeman held a roundtable discussion on Monday with ag community members to discuss mental health obstacles in the industry.

Farming is a challenging business, yet many industry members are hesitant to ask for mental health help and support, Hardeman explained.

"We care about the well-being of our farmers and farm families. We recognize they face unique mental health challenges associated with running a farm business, and want them to know it's OK to reach out for help," Hardeman said in the release.

"We want to address the stigma that still surrounds mental health, and help people find the resources that can make a difference,” he added.

For some growers, navigating labour laws may be a cause for additional stress, Steven Sales, a tobacco farmer from Brant County, told Farms.com today.

Some “government regulations are crushing independent businesses, causing more mental health stress for farmers,” he said.

The ministry supports several programs to assist farmers with their mental health, such as research to determine the resources producers need. OMAFRA also offers farm business risk management programs to provide compensation for crop loss and damages.

Hardeman’s awareness campaign is part of the government’s “commitment to invest $3.8 billion over the next 10 years to develop and implement a comprehensive and connected mental health and addictions strategy,” the release said.

Farms.com has reached out to producers for comment.

PointImages/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm