“Thirty-five per cent of the farmers interviewed met the classification for depression. Fifty-eight (per cent) met the classifications for anxiety and 45 (per cent) recorded high stress. Sixty-eight per cent met the criteria for chronic stress which we know if left untreated can lead to physical and mental illness.”
An update to the survey in 2021 suggested farmers had significantly higher alcohol use than scale norms, especially since the pandemic began.
“So farmers in the study experienced suicide ideation, so that means thinking about suicide more than two times that of the general population. One in four felt their life was not worth living, they wish they were dead or thought about taking their own lives in the last 12 months.”
In addition, 40% of those surveyed said they would be uneasy about seeking help because of what others might think.
Wheatcroft says there are a lot of factors contributing to high stress in the agriculture industry.
“Farming is a lifestyle that inherently involves a lot of factors that can cause distress and a lot of them are out of people’s control. Things that are completely out of control can impact your business and your day to day. So whether there’s disease, planning, the cost of inputs, international markets. All of those things are completely out of people’s control and it really, really impacts how they’re doing.”
The CMHA and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture have developed Agriculture Wellness Ontario – three programs focusing on mental health support and education for the agriculture community.
In the Know is a four–hour training program delivered virtually or in person that is designed for farmers, their families and those who are involved in and/or support the agriculture sector.
Facilitated by a mental health professional, and using ‘real–life’ examples from the agriculture industry, it covers topics of stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and how to start a conversation around mental well-being.
The Guardian Network is a volunteer suicide prevention network which supports Ontario’s farming community.
A Guardian is an individual who is likely to be in contact with farmers through their work, volunteer activities or their place in their community and has successfully completed the training program to become certified.
Guardians are equipped with strategies and tools to identify the signs of mental distress, react to farmers at risk, and connect individuals with appropriate mental health and crisis resources.
The Farmer Wellness Initiative is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in English & French. Ontario–based farmers or members of farming households can call 1–866–267–6255 to arrange counselling sessions with a mental health professional by phone, virtually, or in person.
These mental health professionals have received training to understand the unique needs of Ontario farmers.
