“Harvest time is a reminder of the importance of the agriculture sector to Saskatchewan’s economy,” Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison said. “The sector is responsible for 10 percent of the provincial economy and 41 percent of our total global exports. As harvest 2025 begins, I want to extend my appreciation to every producer, farm family and agricultural worker who contributes to the province’s economic growth and export strength.”
Producers and agricultural workers are reminded to prioritize safety during the busy harvest season. This includes taking frequent breaks, having adequate meals and sleep, having fire-suppressing equipment on hand, watching for power lines when moving machinery, and more. It is also important to make sure that everyone keeps an eye out for large equipment on roads and highways.
On Tuesday, China announced a preliminary anti-dumping duty on Canadian canola imports of 75.8 percent, effective from Thursday, August 14. China is the world’s largest importer of canola and sources nearly all of its supplies from Canada. Last year, China levied 100 percent tariffs on Canadian canola meal and oil, saying Canadian canola companies were “dumping” the product into the Chinese market, hurting its domestic canola oil market. China’s latest move on canola seed now means all canola products face levies.
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Across Canada, farmers and producers are grappling with the invisible wounds of mental illness; stress that does not ease, anxiety that does not subside, exhaustion that no amount of rest can cure. The unpredictable nature of farming, the fluctuating market prices, climate change, government policies, trade disputes, and tariffs create an environment of chronic stress. Unlike many other industries, agriculture is not just a job; it is a calling, a way of life. The pressure to succeed, to feed their communities, to keep the land in the family, to maintain productivity and profitability, to uphold generations of tradition and to provide for generations to come, is immense. And for some, the weight of that pressure becomes unbearable.
“The Chinese market is effectively closed to the Canadian canola industry, and this is a market that was valued at just under $5 billion,” Chris Davison, president of the Canola Council of Canada, said after the tariff announcement Tuesday. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) warns that these tariffs will not only disrupt trade but also exacerbate financial stress for farmers, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and substance use.
Research from the University of Alberta, released in 2023, explored the threats to the mental health of farmers and the industry’s elevated risk of suicide. The comprehensive review examined the results of 14 previous studies and shed light on the shared risk factors and common sources of hope for farmers who are struggling.
Peer-reviewed studies from across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and India, based largely on interviews with surviving family members of farmers who had died, were reviewed.
The nature of agriculture is risk. The livelihoods of farmers are vulnerable to the weather and/or the whims of market forces beyond their control. Consecutive years of poor crop yields due to weather, livestock epidemics or unexpected equipment breakdowns can deliver unexpected financial blows that leave many feeling trapped. Then, adding to that the sudden tariffs imposed by foreign governments that threaten to leave no market for their harvest, can lead farmers to feel ashamed that they have failed when previous generations had succeeded.
“The stress that is involved with farming, it builds up so slowly to a point where it just completely overwhelms your capacity to cope,” says researcher Rebecca Purc-Stephenson, a psychology professor at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus.
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“It’s easy when you’re depressed to get holed up in your house and stay away from people. It doesn’t get better that way … But if we can talk about it, we can get help,” states Alberta farmer Dwayne Kelndorfer, who shares the story of his mental health crisis in 2018 in the hopes it will encourage others to seek help.
Published in the fall of 2023 by the Canadian Centre on Policy Alternatives (CCPA) in collaboration with the National Farmers Union, Field Notes: Looking Upstream at the Farmer Mental Health Crisis in Canada names and explains the root causes of mental health stressors in the farm community and identifies fundamental solutions, says writer Lois Ross in her article “Next-year country and on-farm anxiety.” (https://loisross.ca/2024/10/27/next-year-country-and-on-farm-anxiety/)
The report notes that over the past five decades, the margin for farmers, what is left over from the sale of the product or crop once all expenses are paid, has gone from 35 percent to less than seven percent.
Over the past 50 years, the price of farm inputs has increased nearly twice as fast as the prices of farm products. As a result, farmers are often selling their crops for less than the cost of production. Even in instances where prices do cover costs, the remaining amount after expenses is shrinking each year, leaving farmers with less for living expenses or reinvesting in their farms.
This situation creates a vicious cycle of “capitalization,” where farmers purchase more land in hopes that cultivating additional acres will lower their per-acre costs and enhance profit margins. However, as noted in the report, acquiring more land often leads to increased workload, higher debt, and greater anxiety. Farmers find themselves in a challenging scenario, as they are essentially on a treadmill, driven to work harder and faster without a clear path to relief.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month in Canada, and farm suicides in Canada and around the world have been documented over the past several decades, but there are many more that go undocumented. An estimated 225 million farmers around the world struggle with their mental health. Mental health remains a taboo subject, despite increasing awareness; persistent stigma remains, especially in rural farming communities.
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‘Don’t let silence be the end of your life story.’
Producers are reminded that there are mental health supports available.
· The Farm Stress Line is available 24/7 to provide free, confidential support to producers toll-free at 1-800-667-4442.
· The National Farmer Mental Health Alliance: https://nfmha.ca/
· National Farmer Wellness Network Crisis Line: free, confidential mental health and crisis support for the agriculture community by calling the National Farmer Crisis line at 1-866-FARMS01 1-866-327-6701
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