Helping farmers cope with the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on mental health in rural Ontario — particularly on farmers. University of Guelph research has shown farmers are already at high risk for conditions such as depression and anxiety. The pandemic has exacerbated stressors related to their jobs, including food chain
disruptions, temporary foreign worker shortages, low grain prices and a dearth of rural mental health professionals.

To help address poor mental health in agriculture, University of Guelph professor Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, Department of Population Medicine, and post-doc Dr. Briana Hagen have partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario division, to make their “In the Know” training available across the Ontario agricultural community. It’s the continuation of research that began in 2015; Jones-Bitton is considered a leader and pioneer in this field.

In the Know’s goal is to develop mental health literacy among farmers and the people who work with them. The training is intended to increase knowledge of common mental illnesses, help people recognize the associated signs and symptoms and connect them with appropriate resources for help.

“As we continue to adapt to COVID-19 and bounce back from the restrictions and the negative impact it has had, mental health literacy will be really important now and in the future,” says Jones-Bitton.

This program can also help users start a conversation with someone who may be struggling with mental health challenges and connect them with appropriate supports. Farmers have described a number of barriers to seeking help for mental illness, such as challenges in connecting with their family doctor or specialized counselling services at a distance.

In a recently published report, “Rural mental health during COVID-19,” Jones-Bitton and Dr. Kathleen Kevany, a professor at Dalhousie University and the president of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, recommended that these supports be moved online during COVID-19. However, Jones-Bitton notes that poor internet access in many rural areas remains a barrier to online help.

“There are very few things that are as integral to a healthy population and environment as agriculture, with farmers being responsible for providing safe, high-quality food,” she says. “And we know that they experience a high degree of stress related to poor mental health, largely in relation to the production of that food, so it’s important that farmers are provided with the support that they need and deserve.”

In the Know was funded by the Egg Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Pork, Ontario Sheep Farmers, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.

Trillium Mutual donated $50,000 to the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario division, to partner with researchers in sharing In the Know with Ontario agricultural communities.

The rural mental health report is available at crrf.ca/ri-mentalhealth.

This article originally appeared in the 2021 Agri-Food Yearbook edition of Research magazine.

Written by Karli Longthorne.