The governments of Canada and Manitoba are extending a province-wide mental health program that provides free counselling to farmers, their families and farm employees across Manitoba, including producers in the Morden region. The two‑year, $300,000 extension (about $150,000 per year) will ensure local producers have continued access to specialized support for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 fiscal years.
This funding will support the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program through the 2027-28 fiscal year (through 2028). The program offers six free, confidential one-on-one counselling sessions per person each year to farmers, their families and farm workers who may be struggling with the stresses of running a farm.
A key part of the service is that the professionals providing care have agricultural backgrounds or receive specific agricultural‑literacy training, which helps them understand the particular challenges people face in the Morden/Pembina Valley area — for example, unpredictable weather events and rising input costs. Local reporting in PembinaValleyOnline noted the program has been looking to expand services to reach more people in the region, and Global News reported on the program’s extension of eligibility to include non-family farm employees.
According to the Manitoba government, the service is designed to be easy to use with a quick online booking system. The program offers flexible delivery — in person, by phone or online. This extension builds on a previous January 2024 announcement that provided $450,000 over three years to expand professional counselling access for the agriculture sector.
