Sask. drought taking its toll on farmers' mental health, advocate says
A disastrous growing season may be taking a toll on farmers' mental health, according to one advocate.
Adelle Stewart, executive director of the Do More Agriculture Foundation who focus on mental health in agriculture across Canada said the dry weather is causing a number of problems.
“We have heard and seen some photos where the crops this year haven’t grown higher than the stubble in the field from last year, literally ground just breaking apart, there’s been videos of people putting their hands down up to their forearms or their elbows into crevices into the dirt that has just broken apart,” said Stewart.
Stewart says these stories keep pouring in and she anticipates they are only going to continue until harvest starts.
With the poor harvest conditions, many farmers are feeling the effects of mental and financial stress including Steven Donald who owns and operates his family farm near Moosomin.
He said the pressure of this year's growing season has been overwhelming at times.
"You want to give your best to your children and I always thought farming was a great thing but sometimes now when it gets to the point when the risk is so high for the cost of inputs and machinery, just the uncertainty, that to me is what I find is the emotional and mental strain.”
Stewart says while the stigma around mental health for farmers has improved and this season they need all the help they can get.
“The weather, crop health, animal health, trade commodity prices, all of those types of things are outside of the farmer's control and that is their livelihood so their livelihood essentially, is out of control.”
Donald said he is trying to stay positive but as the rain continues to hold off, it is hard to be optimistic.
“We don’t know what is going to happen until the combines hit the field,” said Donald.
“I hope we’re surprised but I don’t think we will be.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.