Counselling for P.E.I. farmers expanded amid potato trade ban

The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture is expanding its mental health counselling program as a result of the suspension of fresh potato exports to the United States.

The Farmer Assistance Program provides confidential counselling services for Island farmers and their families.

The federation received $20,000 from the province for an expansion of the program this year. That's in addition to the $31,000 the government already contributes to the program.

The increase means the federation will be able to hire an additional counsellor, said executive director Donald Killorn. 

"That opens up a significant number of additional slots," he said. "The program traditionally features two counselors, so an extra counselor represents a significant increase in capacity."

Killorn said the program also received some support from major industry stakeholders.

He said the federation is expecting to see an uptick on farmers using the program following the trade ban, which was triggered by the discovery of potato wart on two P.E.I. potato fields.

"This is a significant decision that has a negative impact on their mental health," he said. "It will take time for them to move through the stages of grief to the point they'll need counselling. 

"So there will be a lag there.... It'll be a few months before we see the uptick, but we're fairly certain in consultation with our counselors that it is going to come."

It's still unclear when the suspension could be lifted.