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
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated J&J cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.