Bayer has partnered with The Do More Agriculture Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on raising awareness and promoting mental well-being for farmers in Canada. As part of the partnership, Bayer’s Crop Science division has contributed $20,000 to the Foundation to support its mission of providing support and resources to farmers seeking mental health assistance.
The need to support Canadian farmers’ mental well-being has never been greater. According to a study from the University of Guelph, more than a third of Canadian producers are experiencing depression and over half experience anxiety. However, the stigma associated with mental health issues remains a significant barrier for those that need help. Forty per cent of Canadian producers reported they would feel uneasy about seeing professional help due to what other people may think.
“We believe that through this partnership we can help increase awareness of mental health issues and break the stigma that currently exists in the agriculture industry,” said Al Driver, Bayer Crop Science Canada’s president and CEO. “We see first-hand the challenges that farmers face and encourage them to access these resources to manage their well-being.”
The Do More Ag Foundation are champions for the mental well-being of Canadian producers and are focused on changing the culture of agriculture to one where producers are encouraged, supported and empowered to take care of themselves. This will be achieved by creating awareness, building community and supporting research.
“We are so appreciative to Bayer for supporting Do More Ag and Canadian producers. The support from Bayer will allow The Do More Agriculture Foundation to move forward with larger initiatives that will be able to support more producers across Canada,” said Kim Keller, co-founder of the Foundation. “This will create more awareness around mental health and build more capacity within communities across Canada to be able to support community members who may be facing mental health challenges.”
With support from Bayer, Do More Ag will continue the conversation about mental well-being in an accessible way for producers, while breaking the stigma associated with mental health. It will encourage producers to talk about mental health within their operations, families and communities, with the hope of changing the culture in agriculture to one where all producers feel encouraged and supported to take care of their mental well-being.
For more information about The Do More Agriculture Foundation, please visit www.domore.ag.
