The Manitoba and federal governments are investing $450,000 over three years toward the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program (MFWP) through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a Jan. 16 news release said. The funding will be used to provide access to professional counselling services to Manitoba’s agricultural community.
“Farmers face unique stressors and challenges, but they don’t complain, and they always get the job done,” Lawrence MacAulay, federal minister of agriculture and agri-food, said in the release. “If they’re struggling with their mental health, we need to be there for them.”
MFWP is a non-profit organization launched in 2022 that addresses the mental health of farmers, farm families and farm workers through access beyond crisis intervention to longer-term counselling support that prevent mental health crisis, the release said.
“We support the hard work that farmers have committed their lives to and know that being a producer in the Ag industry can be difficult,” Wab Kinew, Manitoba premier, said in the release. “This is why it is important to have specialized mental health resources available specifically for producers and their families, and why we are proud to partner with the federal government on this key initiative.”
The release said the funding will support MFWP to ensure a consistent and professional service delivery and a standardized onboarding for new counsellors. MFWP works with over 32 industry partners to promote mental wellness and coping strategies and resilience.
Related Articles
Do More Ag Launches Walk With Me Mental Health Campaign
