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By Alice McFarlane

Federal mental health initiative

New initiative to promote mental wellbeing among Canadian producers

Mar 6, 2025 | 2:22 PM

The life of a farmer is demanding and comes with different challenges and uncertainty.

It can have a direct impact on mental health and producers need to have access to mental health support, along with resources and tools that are tailored to their needs.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay said the new $3-million Producer Mental Wellbeing Initiative (PMWI), will encourage solutions that use 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.

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.

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Applications are open until Jun. 3. For-profit and not-for-profit organizations, as well as individuals registered to do business in Canada can apply.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @farmnewsNOW