Spending time outside, particularly in nature, is important because it can help regulate stress, boost mental health, and improve immune function.
COMMENT: How even just 15 minutes in nature can boost your wellbeing
Agriculture community invited to ‘talk it out’ about mental health via free online platform
AgTalk is an anonymous, free online platform in which people can discuss mental health and find support from their peers. It’s moderated by mental health professionals.
The healing power of the farm
Farmers can play a role in making our society - and the world - stronger and more resilient
Reading Time: 3 minutes Brenda Schoepp column regarding healing power of agriculture and food production for society.
Survey to look at farm stress from Alberta angle
Study to explore farmers' levels of resilience against stress
Researchers from the University of Alberta and AgKnow, the province’s farmer mental health network, are looking to build up Alberta-specific data on farming stress, mental health and well-being, and the ways in which farmers cope. They study team is “looking for farmers, ranchers, or anyone who works or lives on a farm” to participate, researchers […] Read more
Don’t keep your feelings bottled up
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Do More Agriculture Foundation has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the importance of talking about mental health challenges. The #TalkItOut campaign addresses the stressors those in agriculture face, such as weather uncertainty, market instability and financial pressures, it said. “Talking it out can help,” said Megz, Reynolds, executive director of Do […] Read more
Government funds mental health
Reading Time: < 1 minute Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced $168,440 in funding for the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing during the inaugural National Symposium on Agricultural Mental Health in early March. The mission of this new not-for-profit organization is to lead research and roll out initiatives in collaboration with community organizations across the country to address […] Read more
Schoepp: Bullying takes many different forms and occurs in all walks of life
Nearly half of us will experience bullying at some point — asking for help is the healthy thing to do
Reading Time: 4 minutes Once a schoolyard term, bullying has now razed a path through all of society. It happens in our homes, on our farms and at work. Children suffer to the point of taking their lives and tens of thousands of them stay home every day from fear. In Canada, 40 per cent of adults report that […] Read more
UNDER PRESSURE: Group boosts aid for farmers hit by stress
Reading Time: 4 minutes The mental health of farmers is getting more attention these days, but the situation in Alberta isn’t well understood and there are big gaps in support, says a provincial researcher. A landmark study done by the University of Guelph six years ago revealed that many farmers suffer mental-health issues, said Rebecca Purc-Stephenson, a research associate […] Read more
Free mental health training, workshops offered for farmers
Do More Ag Foundation expands programming available
Farmers seeking mental health support will have access to free training and community workshops for the fourth year in a row via the Do More Agriculture Foundation (DMAF) and Farm Credit Canada (FCC). Factors such as financial insecurity, uncontrollable weather and isolating working conditions contribute to high depression, anxiety and suicide rates among farmers, according […] Read more
Signs of mental health struggles easy to overlook in agriculture
Reading Time: 4 minutes Even after a tough year, the arrival of spring always seems to bring hope for a new season and optimism that this year will be better. But after several tough years — a global pandemic, drought in some regions and flooding in others, feed shortages, rising input costs, supply chain issues, and now war in […] Read more
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