Calls more than double for Farm Stress Line

It seems more and more farmers are reaching out for help and grabbing hold of a phone.

In the 2018-19 fiscal year, the Farm Stress Line got 757 calls, more than twice as many as the 320 calls it received in the year before.

There have been more stresses lately for farmers, considering the political climate around Canadian commodities, but that may not be the only reason the number of calls has gone up.

John McFadyen, executive director of Mobile Crisis which administers the Farm Stress Line, said over the past couple years officials have been promoting the line more.

“We, with other farm organizations and the ministry of agriculture, have been doing a lot of promotion and talks … talking about mental health, and farm stress, and the farm stress line and the availability 24 hours a day seven days a week,” McFadyen said. “Whether it’s farmers themselves or those that are supporting farmers, (they all) can call if they have an issue they need to talk about.”

McFadyen said there was a rise in calls regarding bankruptcy last year. He said other big issues include succession plans for farms and transitioning out of farming, and the farmers’ crops and livestock.

On Tuesday, a parliamentary committee came out with a report on farming, including recommendations telling the federal government it needs to consider what effect its actions will have on the agriculture sector.

The report said farmers are more at risk of mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts than other segments of the population.

McFadyen said about 30 per cent of the calls Mobile Crisis gets have a mental health component to them, while nearly 40 per cent of the calls to the Farm Stress Line have a mental health component. In about five per cent of those calls, the person is dealing with suicidal ideation.