Farmer counselling program gets $300,000

The co-founder of a mental wellness program is thrilled to see two more years of support targeted at Manitoban farmers.

Gerry Friesen of the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program said he is still surprised by the growth and continued support of the mental health program that provides counselling to farmers. The remarks came after the province and federal government promised in January to invest $300,000 across the next two fiscal years.

“It was really good news,” Friesen said. “Just the way this program has grown, and the fact that it’s being utilized the way it is is heartwarming.”

“I was there at the outset. Never, never, for a minute, had I thought that it would grow the way it did.”

The funding covers the cost of the program up to March 2028, Friesen said.

The Wellness Program provides free counselling sessions to farmers and farm employees across Manitoba, through counsellors who have a background in agriculture. It currently offers up to nine sessions per person, with a counsellor available in Steinbach, Strathclair, Brandon and Winkler. There are five counsellors involved.

The money received by the charity is spent to pay the counsellors, administrative costs and advertising, Friesen said. The program offers counselling sessions either in person, through telephone or online.

Friesen said that the government support has allowed the organizers to focus their time on delivering the program’s mental health offering.

“If it wasn’t for that government funding, we’d be really out there beating the bushes trying to get funding from sponsorships, because we need all the money we’re getting to provide these services, right?”

Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald said in a January press release that he supports the program because modern times create a complex environment where farming-specific services are more needed than before.

“Farmers and their families face many unique challenges that can take a real toll on mental health,” MacDonald said. “This investment is about strengthening resilience and helping our agricultural community thrive in an increasingly complex environment.”

Similarly, Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn in a press release said he believes the program has proven its value and he’s happy to support it. He said the program had produced measurable results, helping to reduce stress, preventing burnout and giving farmers tools to manage the demands of modern agriculture.

Friesen said there are few resources like the counselling program, which is tailored to farmers by incorporating industry specific issues like weather and livestock health.

He said trade tensions with the United States and drought are recent examples of stressors for farmers.

He added that the program has grown since launching in 2022.

“Our numbers have increased, each year they increase substantially. And for example, 2025 was no different, where we had a significant increase again.”

The program received charity status in 2024, opening up more avenues for more donations. For example, individuals can receive a tax receipt for donations, and other charities can provide support. However, the support from governments has allowed the program to focus on services.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com