Manitoba Farm, Rural and Northern Support Services based in Brandon has updated its website to improve access to its program.

The organization offers free and confidential telephone and online counselling and support from counsellors with farming or rural backgrounds, to anyone who farms in Manitoba, or lives in rural or northern Manitoba. Over the last few years the organization has adopted a live chat service for people who are more comfortable conversing over text.

"We gratefully received a donation through a conference called CropConnect and that enabled us to work with a web designer to put together this very simple, colourful, friendly website that is essentially a call to action; it talks about who we are, what we do, the need for a service such as ours, and how people can get help when they need it," said program manager Janet Smith.

According to a 2016 University of Guelph study, 45 per cent of 1,100 agricultural producers surveyed across Canada had high stress, while 35 per cent had depression.

Smith says producers are more hesitant to reach out for help because of the pride and independence entrenched in farming culture, and they often work in isolation and have a solve-it-yourself mindset.

"We also know that farming is one of the most dangerous and stressful occupations in the world, and so farmers are more at risk for things like depression and anxiety," Smith said. "So having a safe, free confidential place they can call, maybe outside of their own circle of family and friends is really important to farmers."

"One of our main messages is really that reaching out for help and support and information is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of strength. It can help you, it can help your family, and in fact it can help whole communities to heal, so we really do welcome and encourage people to pick up the phone or to send us a chat, and we're just their to listen and support without judgement," Smith said.