Mental Health Crisis Hits Canada's Farming Communities

Josh Lehmann was a cowboy from Rosthern, Saskatchewan—a rodeo rider and the kind of person who'd drop everything to help. Inside, he struggled with his mental health. His sister Morgan said he didn't want to be seen as anything less than tough. He took his own life in October 2023 at age 20.

Farming and ranching are two of Canada's most stressful occupations, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Producers' livelihoods depend on what they cannot control: weather, markets, trade disputes, government policy. When that sense of powerlessness takes hold, it deteriorates cognitive functioning, said Cynthia Beck of the SaskAgMatters Mental Health Network.

A recent University of Guelph study surveyed 74 farmers in Ontario and found women face higher mental-health risks. They juggle farm work with outside jobs or childcare and often shoulder the responsibility of finding supports for their families and partners. "We need men to be able to talk about their feelings, but we also need them to realize that they should be active participants in learning about mental health," said Briana Hagen, CEO of the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing.

Merle Massie of the Do More Agriculture Foundation said calls for help have climbed higher than anticipated—and that might be good news. The increase likely reflects a shift in attitudes: it's now OK to seek help instead of toughing it out. In February 2025, the Canadian Centre for Agriculture Wellbeing launched a national stress line. Morgan Lehmann and Josh's friends run an annual fundraising roping event in his honour, directing proceeds to SaskAgMatters.