February 10 is Agriculture Day, which is a day to celebrate Canadian farmers, but also to highlight the struggles they frequently face. With many producers dealing with mental illness, it’s important to highlight different resources that are here to help. Among these is Au Coeur des Familles Agricoles (ACFA), a Quebec-based organization that directly supports farmers and their families.
Lise Bates is a farmer and wellness worker for ACFA. She explains that the organization was created in 2003 and was inspired by the kinds of interventions that were happening in urban areas for mental illness and addiction crises. In rural areas, farmers were suffering from mental illness in silence, and there was a need for support.
Farmers can reach out to ACFA directly, and a representative will come to their farm. They also have a program where concerned friends and family can reach out on behalf of a farmer for a wellness check.
ACFA also runs a respite house for producers who may need a break from the stress of the farm. Bates explains that the house is strategically located outside of a rural setting so “They can get away from the farm and not feel the pressure of ‘I’m not there working. I need to be working’.” Here, they can rest and relax while talking with wellness workers to get the help they need.
Asking for help can be difficult, especially with the stigma around mental illness. Bates says that when it comes to farmers, “They’re known for being hard workers, having that traditional masculinity about them where they figure things out themselves … They can do so many different things that when it comes to mental health, they tend to overlook it.” ACFA hopes to get rid of that stigma and make mental health a bigger priority, especially since farmers tend to spend a lot of time alone.
It can be hard to see a loved one struggling and not know how to help. Bates says that reaching out is sometimes the easiest way to offer support. “Don’t be afraid to talk to them … Having compassion, having empathy, listening without judgment, listening without necessarily trying to find a solution to their problem, opening the door to them asking for help – letting them know that it’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength,” she says. Talking about it helps to further dismantle the stigma and shows that they are not alone.
This kind of work can be difficult, but also extremely rewarding. Bates says, “That’s my pay. Knowing that these people have enough confidence and trust in me, that they’ll let me into their homes, into their barns, into their workspaces, and they will open up to me into the most intimate areas of their life.”
For more information about ACFA, or to ask for help, visit acfareseaux.qc.ca.