Advocacy
One common thread that emerged out of the research reviewed for the Blueprint for a Mental Health Action Plan for Nova Scotia’s Farming Communities, was that any transformative shift in how we perceive and address mental health will require organized advocacy efforts to address the significant and unique pressures faced by farm producers and their workers.
Even the act of seeing member organizations like NSFA and commodity groups advocating on these different issues will go great lengths to strengthen the trust and confidence given by farmers, knowing that their stress is being acknowledged and work is being done to make it better.
Some of the specific challenges identified in the Blueprint include:
- Finances
- Administrative Burdens
- Regulatory red tape
- Access to skilled labour
- Stigma
One of NSFA’s initiatives was launched to meet a recommendation outlined within the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food’s report, “Many witnesses said that farming needs to be promoted across the country to increase the public’s understanding of and confidence in the agricultural sector.”
Through the Your Farmer, Your Nova Scotia campaign, and events such as Open Farm Day, NSFA is making the work of Nova Scotia farmers accessible to all ages.
You can download our full Blueprint for a Mental Health Action Plan for Nova Scotia Farmers or get a quick overview by downloading our Snapshot of the Blueprint document.
