Page 58 - RealDirtENG2020

CHAPTER 8
Food, farming and the future
The world is always changing, and that change includes how farmers grow food, and how it gets from the farm to our dinner tables.
Mental health on the farm138
One of the aspects on which the sector has only recently started to focus is that of farmers’ mental health. As you’ve read in this publication, farming is rewarding, but also can be incredibly challenging. The stresses of a changing climate, market uncertainty, evolving public perceptions, disease and pest threats, activist threats, and more, can take their toll on farmers’ mental health.
Farmers often work long hours by themselves, and farms by their very nature are mostly located in rural, sometimes isolated areas. That feature makes it even easier to feel alone and without support.
Recent research conducted by the University of Guelph into the mental health of Canadian farmers showed some startling results:
• 35 per cent of farmers meet the criteria for depression;
• 45 per cent of farmers experience high stress;
• 58 per cent of farmers meet the criteria for anxiety.
And perhaps most sadly, 40 per cent reported that they would feel uneasy about getting professional help because of what other people might think.
Thankfully, though, things are starting to change. The Do More Agriculture Foundation (www.domore.ag) promotes awareness of farmer mental
health, and breaking the stigma. Hundreds of farmers have participated in the organization’s “Talk, Ask, Listen” workshops to date. The University of Guelph has created a mental health course speci cally for the Canadian agriculture community called “In the Know” that they’re hoping to roll out soon nation-wide and online.
Mental health professionals, researchers, farmers, and others, support the establishment of a Centre for Farmer Mental Health and Wellness to spearhead mental awareness, response, and support for the farming community.
Rachel Renwick
Career Pro le
Chicken Farmer
Amy VanderHeide
Amy VanderHeide runs a third generation chicken farm in Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, with her husband, in-laws, and three sons. Farming can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges – all of which can take a toll. That is something that VanderHeide
knows well.
She was diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder three years ago. “Spring through fall is very busy, so there is less time to stop and think about it. Winter arrives and things slow down; meanwhile all of these emotions have been building up,” described VanderHeide.
VanderHeide shared her story on social media, and was overwhelmed by the response from other farmers. “When you begin to open up, it’s surprising to see how many people are feeling the same way,” said VanderHeide, explaining that if her openness is able to help even one person feel less alone then it will all be worth it.
“We’ve come so far, but there is more to do. I hope that when my boys grow up and farm, that checking in on their mental health is just another part of the job.”
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The Real Dirt on Farming