Virden woman wants to help farmers get mental health support from those who know ag sector

As this fall's harvest approached, southwest Manitoba farmer Donna Odell was dealing with a health issue, a looming deadline on a volunteer project and the pressure of getting the crop off the field before heading out of the country for a family wedding.

Stress was higher than normal on the farm she runs with her husband, daughter and son-in-law near Virden, Man., about 75 kilometres west of Brandon.

"I had a lot of things all come together in the one week and I didn't know how I was surviving the week," Odell said. "Not all related to farming, there was some that was farming because harvest was coming. That was a stressor put on me."

With fluctuating commodity prices, concerns about weather and challenges off the farm all weighing on her, Odell, who has also lived with depression, reached out for mental health counselling for anxiety.

A recent report found farmers across Canada are dealing with declining mental health due mostly to economic challenges, but many are still not seeking help because of stigma.

"People are afraid to ask for help," Odell said. "People are afraid to let people know that they're struggling."

Odell is trying to change that, in part by sharing her own personal story and by volunteering as a board member with the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program.

It was launched in March 2022 and provides six free, confidential counselling sessions annually with counsellors who have a background in agriculture.

While farmers have previously been able to access help in a crisis situation by phoning Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services, Odell said the ongoing counselling services available through the Farmer Wellness Program sets it apart and makes it unique in Manitoba.

There are four counsellorsbased in Strathclair, Brandon, Steinbach and Winkler, Odell said.

Appointments can be made in-person, via video or phone, including during evenings and weekends.

Counsellors have background in agriculture

Gerry Friesen, the program's chief administrative officer, has a background in farming and has also lived with depression and anxiety.

He said farmers want to talk to someone who understands their concerns.

"We needed counsellors that have a real good knowledge of agriculture and the uniqueness of agriculture and the uniqueness of the stressors that come with having a farming operation," Friesen said.

He also said it was important for the program's counsellors to understand how the stress of farming can impact relationships.

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While he declined to give exact numbers in order to maintain confidentiality, Friesen said there's been a gradual increase in the number of people seeking help.

He credits increased awareness.

"We put this program out there. We talk about the fact that there's more and more people that are signing on to our services," Friesen said. "We let people know they're not alone. Their neighbour might be experiencing the same thing."

Economic uncertainty

Zsofia Mendly-Zambo, a health policy researcher at York University, reviewed literature on farmer mental health and surveyed and interviewed 21 members of the National Farmers Union.

She authored a report published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives last month which found economic uncertainty and precarity are at the heart of what her report dubbed "the farmer mental health crisis."

"They describe that their margins have really diminished. In order to stay in operation, they have to sort of constantly be getting bigger but then that comes with more debt," Mendly-Zambo said. "So it's sort of like they're on this hamster wheel of trying to catch up."

She also said climate change was a growing concern.

The report makes six recommendations including improving economic stability and expanding mental health care for farmers and farm workers.

"This is the definite bedrock that will support farmers' mental health but we also need to look at, how do we make farming more resilient in the face of climate?" said Mendly-Zambo.

"Can we move towards and help farmers move to more ecological practices that will in the long term be better for the environment."

Friesen said his focus is on making sure farmers can get the help they need. He's been in talks with the previous provincial government about getting funding for the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program. So far it has relied on fundraising and donations from companies in the agriculture and financial sectors to keep it running.

"I think we really need to take one step further where we have long-term, sustainable funding to make sure that our program stays in place," Friesen said, adding he hopes to have conversations with the province's new NDP government.

Odell hopes by sharing her story, others will feel comfortable coming forward to seek the help that is available.

"I think it's just really a matter of talking," Odell said. "They need an opening. They just need that little bit to get them started talking."

Wellness program helps farmers dealing with mental health issues

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Duration 2:33

A farmer from southwest Manitoba wants to help others overcome the stigma of getting help for their mental health. It comes as a recent report finds economic challenges and climate change are taking a toll on producers.

Help is available 24/7 by calling the Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support line at 1-866-367-3276.