New federal funding is supporting the mental health of local farmers.
This morning, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, announced the launch of a new $3-million Producer Mental Wellbeing Initiative (PMWI) to help provide creative, data-based approaches to help improve the wellbeing of producers; reduce the stigma around mental health in agriculture; raise awareness; and offer the support producers need, when they need it.
“Our producers do so much for us – often making personal sacrifices so they can deliver their top-quality products,” MacAulay said in a news release. “Through this new initiative, we’re giving Canadians an opportunity to come up with new solutions for producer mental wellbeing that will help reduce stigma and improve access to tailored support.”
Applications are now open for both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations and individuals registered to do business in Canada, with a deadline of 2pm on June 3, 2025.
Officials say the initiative will use a three-stage approach to move innovators through the process of proposing, developing, and implementing their solutions. At each stage, a jury, made up of subject matter experts, will recommend which innovative solutions move to the next stage and receive funding.
Two grand prize winners will ultimately receive up to $500,000 each to scale their solutions, grow their impact and increase the potential to support the wellbeing of more producers across the country.