Farm Stress Line sees increase in calls during fall harvest

After a particularly hard season for Saskatchewan farmers who had to deal with grasshoppers and drought, calls to the anonymous Farm Stress Line were up.

According to an emailed statement, calls were up about five per cent from the first quarter of the fiscal year.

The first quarter saw 68 calls opposed to 78 calls in the second quarter.

These numbers are typical and in line with the number of calls from the previous year.

The main reason for most calls were mental health concerns like anxiety and stress. The second-most common reason was financial concerns.

All inquiries about farming issues regarding crop, drought or livestock, for example, were referred to the Ag Centre for Knowledge, as the Farm Stress Line only deals with counselling for personal issues.

While exact numbers aren’t available for the next quarter, the email said that since September, there was an increase in calls – which is also typical.

Once the active farming season is over, there is typically an uptick in calls.

The email said this is common for many areas in which the Farm Stress Line provides counselling.

There are additional resources for farmers seeking mental health aid like the AgTalk app created by the Do More Agriculture Foundation.

The app is a nationwide peer-support platform. It allows people who work in agriculture to talk with others about their struggles and share life experiences.

It is completely anonymous to ensure everyone feels comfortable using the platform.

It is monitored 24/7 by clinicians and mental health professionals to ensure everyone’s safety.

The app was launched earlier this year in June.

According to the co-founder of the app, Megz Reynolds, the app has seen great success.

The dry conditions farmers had to deal with hit certain areas of the province hard, particularly in the southwest.

Some areas like the RM of Dundurn even declared an agricultural disaster due to the drought conditions.

The more dry areas of the province also faced another battle: Grasshoppers.

Thousands of the pests swarmed the province this year, wreaking havoc in fields across Saskatchewan.

One farmer said 50 per cent of a yield was wheat, while the other 50 per cent was grasshoppers.