Agriculture Committee on June 13th, 2018

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Luc Berthold]

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the committee.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, April 28, 2018, the committee is beginning its study on the mental health challenges that Canadian farmers, ranchers, and producers face. We will be hearing from two witnesses today.

First, joining us by video conference from Regina, Saskatchewan, we have Michael Hoffort, the president and CEO of Farm Credit Canada.

Good afternoon, Mr. Hoffort.

Next, we have Tom Rosser, assistant deputy minister of the strategic policy branch at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Good afternoon, Mr. Rosser.

We are pleased to have both of you here. You will each have up to seven minutes for your presentation, and we will start with Mr. Hoffort, in Regina.

Mr. Hoffort, you have the floor for seven minutes.

[Michael Hoffort, President and Chief Executive Officer, Farm Credit Canada]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon, everybody. It is a pleasure to appear before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food on behalf of Farm Credit Canada, or FCC as I'll refer to us today.

My name is Michael Hoffort, and I am the president and CEO of FCC.

For those who don't already know, FCC is a self-sustaining commercial crown corporation with more than 100,000 customers, mostly small and medium-sized primary producers. We also have a diverse and growing number of agrifood and agribusiness customers across the country.

FCC has a healthy portfolio of more than $33 billion, and we represent about 30% of the total agriculture lending in Canada. What sets us apart is that we are the only financial institution solely dedicated to Canadian agriculture and agrifood.

We understand the volatility and complexities of agriculture, and we take our responsibilities as an industry partner and corporate citizen very seriously. Without reservation, I can say that FCC, along with our more than 1,800 employees, apply a high degree of energy and commitment to the success and ultimately the well-being of our customers and their farm families.

We know that farming can be unpredictable. The difference between profit and financial loss for producers often depends on several factors, some well beyond their control, be it weather, market conditions, or commodity or input prices. The reality is that things don't always go according to plan, which can have serious impacts on a farmer's operation and perhaps even their emotional and mental well-being. FCC supports our customers with unique loan products that are specifically designed for agriculture, such as our flexi-loan product.

We're also there when the unexpected happens. For example, we recently announced a new customer support program for maple syrup producers in Quebec and New Brunswick, as they were impacted by unfavourable weather that reduced their yields this past spring.

We care about the safety of our customers, as farming can be a hazardous profession. FCC is a long-time partner of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. We also support STARS air ambulance to provide critical care and transportation for rural residents across the three prairie provinces.

In times of crisis, we support our customers through the FCC ag crisis fund, which helps them through disasters like floods or tornados, barn or house fires, the death of a customer or family member, farm accidents, or critical illnesses. During our last fiscal year, we reached out to 287 customers impacted by crisis.

We do a lot to ensure the financial and physical health of our customers. Can we do more to support their mental health and well-being? Absolutely, and we are.

That said, I don't want to leave you with the impression that FCC has full expertise in the area of mental health. What we can offer is our observations from the many conversations we have with customers day in and day out based on the strong relationships we have developed with them over the years as well as our understanding of the unique circumstances they face.

We sometimes come across situations where people are suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, and burnout either related to their business or other life circumstances. I began my career some 30 years ago at the peak of the farm debt crisis, and from then until now, I've learned that mental health issues can surface just as easily in strong economic times as they can in difficult times.

Hard work, resilience, strength, and a sense of community have always been the hallmarks of life on the farm, but there are also times when producers feel a sense of frustration and anxiety. Compounded by feelings of hopelessness and isolation, an individual's mental health can understandably spiral into depression. We have seen this scenario play out before, and unfortunately it sometimes results in a customer taking their own life, which in turn impacts the lives of many others.

We are seeing first-hand the need for increased support in this area, as more applications to our ag crisis fund appear to be related to incidents that have suicide as a factor. Rather than hoping the signs of mental distress will simply go away, we want to be part of the solution.

We're equipping our employees with the information they need to identify mental health issues and provide customers with support and advice on where they can turn for professional help. At the same time, FCC is entering a partnership with the Do More Agriculture Foundation to begin creating a network of mental health responders who can identify and support producers who may need help coping in a difficult time.

Through this project, FCC's funding will facilitate mental health first aid training for producers and industry representatives in select communities across Canada. We're also in discussions with 4-H Canada to determine a program for 4-H leaders and members to increase their understanding of mental health.

In these ways, FCC is also working to lift the stigma around mental health by promoting awareness, encouraging dialogue with customers and throughout the industry, and actively referring resources. We have plans to do much more with some initiatives in the early stages of development.

No matter what changes take place, FCC will continue to serve our customers and Canadian agriculture as a strong and stable partner through all business cycles. More importantly, and as I said earlier, our entire focus is on agriculture. We are here for this industry and for our customers and as we celebrate their success, FCC will also be here for them in challenging times.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I look forward to any questions the committee may have.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Luc Berthold]

Thank you very much, Mr. Hoffort.

I will now turn the floor over to Mr. Rosser for his presentation.

[Tom Rosser, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am pleased to be before the committee once again and, especially, to discuss an issue as important as mental health.

As you noted at the outset, Mr. Chair, my name is Tom Rosser. I'm the assistant deputy minister of strategic policy at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

I'm happy to be here today to speak of growing concerns around mental health issues faced by Canadian farmers, ranchers, and producers. I promise to keep my remarks very brief.

Mental health of course is a societal issue that touches all people. As Mike noted in his remarks, the situation in the agriculture sector is unique in that producers face many risks well beyond their control, whether from commodity prices, animal health issues, labour, trade, or other challenges. Mental health in this sector has become a key topic raised by stakeholders such as the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and it is increasingly being recognized by industry as a major area of concern.

A 2016 University of Guelph survey showed that farmers are among the most vulnerable when it comes to mental health. Of the 1,000 Canadian farmers contacted for a survey, 45% were experiencing high stress levels, 58% reported symptoms of anxiety, and 35% were dealing with depression. All those figures are much higher than the average found in the general population. Similarly, a 2010 study in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry suggested that farming is among the professions with the greatest risk of suicidal death in Canada.

Promoting dialogue about mental health challenges faced by farmers, ranchers, and producers is essential for creating an environment where these issues can be discussed openly and with compassion. In that regard, I would like to acknowledge the parliamentary secretary for the courage he has shown in talking publicly about his personal experience during National Suicide Prevention Week in February 2018.

Although health is a provincial jurisdiction, the federal government is committed to working with the provinces, as well as industry partners, to support the mental health of farmers, ranchers, and producers. For example, budget 2017 confirmed $5 billion over 10 years directly to provinces and territories to improve mental health and addiction services.

For its part, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supports action through federal/provincial cost-shared funding under the Canadian agricultural partnership, which can be used by provincial governments to tackle issues that are creating challenges and stress for the producers in their jurisdictions. This funding can also be used by provinces to directly support mental health initiatives in the sector, including farm stress lines and crisis counselling for individuals, youth, and families living on the farm.

In addition, business risk management programs are in place to help producers manage significant risks that threaten the viability of a farm and are beyond their capacity to manage.

The department is also continuing to explore ways that its policies, programs, and services can further support initiatives to address the mental health challenges faced by those in the sector. The department is committed to working with its federal, provincial, and industry partners to support the mental health of those in the agriculture and agrifood sector.

Other national resources are available to Canadian farmers, ranchers, and producers, such as through Crisis Services Canada—a series of non-profit distress and crisis service centres across Canada that offer service to anyone thinking about or affected by suicide.

As you heard a short while ago from Mike, Farm Credit Canada is also working actively to lift the stigma around mental health by promoting awareness of resources available to its stakeholders.

Mike also noted the industry is taking the lead in this area. For example, The Do More Agriculture Foundation officially launched in January 2018 with the aim of creating awareness of mental health issues in agriculture, building a community of belonging, and driving further research in this area.

In addition, organizations such as the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Canola Growers Association are working actively to create awareness on mental health issues through their conferences and annual general meetings and the like.

Farmers, ranchers, and producers are the backbone of the Canadian agriculture and agrifood sector, ensuring its continued growth, success, and sustainability.

We all need to work together to take further action on this important issue. By increasing awareness, reducing risk factors, improving access to quality mental health services, and eliminating the stigma often associated with mental illness, we can support a compassionate approach to mental well-being in the sector.

I thank the committee for making mental health a priority in your work and look forward to your report on this issue. I would like to thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for providing us with an opportunity to speak with you today.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Luc Berthold]

Thank you very much, Mr. Rosser.

We will now move into questions and comments.

Mr. Barlow, you may go ahead for six minutes.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank our witnesses for being here and participating in what I think is going to be a very interesting process. Before I get started, I want to thank my colleagues Mr. Dreeshen and Mr. Poissant for bringing this forward. I think it's a very important issue that has come to the forefront, certainly over the last several months. I know we can all work together and put together a very worthwhile study on this issue.

I think many of us have been dealing with this long before these last few months. This hits particularly close to home for me. Growing up we went to several funerals, and we were never allowed to say the death was due to a suicide; this happened on the farm and was never talked about with anyone else. We were supposed to keep this to ourselves. It was a family issue. We didn't want anybody else to know. I think we can all relate to the phrase “cowboy up”. It's very frustrating that it has taken this long for us to come forward and be able to have a conversation about it.

Mr. Hoffort, can you go into a little more detail for me, please, on the ag crisis fund? You brought that up initially, that it helped in times of funerals, accidental deaths, things like that. How is that funded? What money is set aside for that? Is there a lot of awareness about it? We're starting to talk about this issue. Do people know it's there? Can they access that when they have mental health issues or they think a family member needs some help?

[Michael Hoffort]

Mr. Chair, we do the ag crisis fund within our organization for our customers. A relatively small amount of funding goes into it on a per instant basis, recognizing that our farm customers often have insurance and things like that to manage a fire or a tornado or expenses as it relates to a death. It's an opportunity for us to reach out and provide some financial gesture and support for our customers. It's fully funded by our organization. Last year, as I mentioned, we reached out to 287 customers in that scenario. We funded $405,000.

What's interesting is already this past two and a half months 67 situations have taken place in that program, so it was a very difficult April and May on the farms. To step back, last year two circumstances out of 287 involved suicide. Already, out of the 67 we had this year, eight have involved suicide, three being the farm operator and five being children, which is quite alarming. We're hoping this is not a growing trend.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

It seems as if the ag crisis fund has been geared to addressing the consequences but there maybe hasn't been any focus on trying to address some of these issues before they happen. For example, are there any options or opportunities with what could be described as an accidental death to expand the scope of that fund to include mental health crisis assistance or counselling or anything like that for those who see it as something they need?

[Michael Hoffort]

Quite potentially, in terms of where we'll go with some of our mental health offers, that's an option for us, whether we would fund it through our crisis fund or as an issue that would be very specific to mental health so it doesn't get lost in that particular area of funding and administration. In terms of how we would work with customers, we're actively exploring what that could look like and very much just giving people that first step to reach out and see where they would want to go and perhaps some financial assistance to make that happen. It's not off the table, for sure.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Maybe you could set up a secondary fund or something specifically for that.

Bayer has come forward with financial assistance for Do More Ag of about $20,000 or something along that line. Is there an opportunity to work with some of your partners, industry groups and things like that, to establish that kind of a fund? I would assume there would be some good buy-in.

[Michael Hoffort]

I would think that if we were to come up with a concept that made a lot of sense, there would be broad industry support in financing. Providing some of that wouldn't be the issue. It's mostly who could take it forward, coordinate it, and then decide who to reach out to to make the applications and those types of things.

In some cases, the farm groups have filled that space, but I think in a lot of ways it's varied across the country in terms of how that's happened. It's an area we could explore, absolutely.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

I'd like to ask a question on 4-H but I'm going to jump to Mr. Rosser very quickly because I have only about a minute left.

I think one of the biggest issues we are facing as we are tackling this issue is awareness. You touched on that. Is there any plan through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in terms of an awareness campaign, something like “it's okay to come forward and admit you have a mental health issue”? Certainly you touched on that. The uncertainty that we deal with in agriculture is more than in any other industry, and certainly people have just never come forward. They have never felt comfortable.

I think that would be a first step. Are there any plans for an awareness campaign that might be done through either Health Canada or Agriculture Canada?

[Tom Rosser]

As Mike described and as the member described, there has been an evolution across society in thinking and openness about mental health, and we certainly are serious about doing our part to help to try to advance that in terms of the agriculture sector.

Similar to what Mike described with FCC, we do that working through partnerships with industry. The way many of our programs are structured, both the cost-shared programs and the federal-only programs under the Canadian agricultural partnership, proponents bring forward applications for their priorities—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Luc Berthold]

Mr. Rosser, I hope someone will ask you to continue the question.

Your time is up, Mr. Barlow.

The next speaker will be Lloyd Longfield.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, both of you, for being here to start this study for us.

The University of Guelph was mentioned earlier. I know the University of Guelph has been working with the Do More Agriculture Foundation. Do More Ag doesn't do research, but it finds funding for research, so there is a symbiotic relationship with the University of Guelph.

In terms of research and connecting to Health Canada research and partnerships with Agriculture Canada, could we talk a little bit more about where we are on the state of research with farmers, producers, their families, and particularly teens and young adults?

[Tom Rosser]

Mr. Chair, I'd simply say I did make reference to a couple of studies. My own assessment is that although there have been a couple of important studies done in this field, which have yielded results which would suggest that relative to the general population there is a significant issue in agriculture, my impression of the literature is that this is not an area that has been exhaustively studied and that there very likely is scope for further research to better inform efforts to target resources.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

One of the suggestions from the University of Guelph is to create a centre of excellence for agricultural mental health and to access research from across Canada, from different communities and different situations.

Is a centre of excellence something that is being considered? Is it active consideration or is it something that's just been suggested at this point?

[Tom Rosser]

Mr. Chair, I'm not specifically aware of discussions around that. I would say though that there is an awful lot of goodwill around this issue, whether with agricultural groups, governments, industry suppliers, or organizations like FCC, and there is a lot of momentum. We talked about the Do More Agriculture Foundation. We are seeing new institutions pop up. We are well positioned to be a partner in advancing things and finding solutions. Certainly a centre of excellence, off the top of my head, would sound like something worthy of discussion but I'm not specifically aware of detailed discussions around the creation of one.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Potentially, through the new ag partnership funding, that might be an application that could go in.

[Tom Rosser]

Certainly there is sufficient flexibility within our federal-only programming that we can support activities or projects related to mental health that are brought forward by other partners.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Okay, thanks.

Looking at accessibility of care, we can talk about admitting there's a problem, reducing the stigma, but at the end of the day, people need help. How are we addressing the shortage of psychiatrists? Are we looking at online services?

Has FCC done any work on how we actually deliver care and assistance to people who need it?

[Michael Hoffort]

In that space, we have not. A lot of it started with our employees, making sure that they can recognize some of the stresses when they see that one of their customers is experiencing some above-normal stress levels and they are able to direct them into some of the programming that's available. It does vary, as I said, across the country. UPA has a very significant program in Quebec. There's some work done with some of the federations in some of the other provinces, and there is a farm stress line in Saskatchewan, the province where I sit. It's a bit of a patchwork, I would suggest. What we've done for our team is to make sure they know how to access the various crisis lines that are out there.

As to what we would consider in the way of the longer term, I don't know if that would be quite in our space, but even something that would be a bit in the day to day, just some tools, whether it's an online app or something that would allow them to access some immediate information to sort through a situation and allow them to get something more substantive would probably be what we would be looking at.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thank you.

I've been working in my community in Guelph and also within Wellington County on mental health and how we provide services to people who need them both in the urban centre of Guelph and the surrounding community.

Something that's come from the studies we've been doing is the connection between binge drinking or self-medicating with alcohol or drugs and the incidence of suicide. There is also the incidence of serious mental health problems among youth using alcohol or drugs to medicate themselves to relieve stress or anxiety. Has there been any consideration around alcohol or drugs and their impact on rural communities?

[Michael Hoffort]

From our perspective, the access I've had to that conversation has been mostly through one of our professional speakers, Dr. George Sabongui. He's a mental health stress specialist who talks about the key factors that contribute to some of the challenges with mental health. For sure, lack of sleep, alcohol, those types of things are key contributors. The direct line to things like suicide, I'm not qualified to comment on.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

It's surprising to me, because I was thinking it was more of an urban problem when we talked about opioids, but when we got into rural communities, it's just as big a problem, if not bigger, by the concentration per person.

That's about as much as I have. Thank you both for your answers. I'll give my remaining 15 seconds to the chair.