Quebec women farmers struggle with mental overload

Women in the agricultural sector suffer from mental overload, according to a new study. (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press)

As Thanksgiving approaches, celebrating the annual harvest, women in the agricultural sector want to raise awareness of a reality that concerns them: mental overload.

The findings are striking: according to a recent Léger survey commissioned by the Fédération des agricultrices du Québec (AQ), no less than 90 per cent of them consider their mental workload to be high.

With the aim of reducing this burden, the organization launched its fall program of support activities on its Tellementplus.ca platform this week, based on coaching from peers and experts.

"Our goal is to support as many women as possible and provide them with tools because the battle is far from over," said AQ general manager Katherine Rousseau. "There is still inequity, gender bias and barriers for women entrepreneurs. As long as these issues exist, we will work alongside women farmers to improve their lot."

According to the survey, the main sources of stress leading to mental overload are multi-tasking, productivity pressure, financial problems, family responsibilities and weather conditions.

"Thanks to this survey, we can target the needs of women farmers and adjust our offers accordingly. The results confirm what our members have been telling us for several years: the situation is worrying and concerns us all, considering the fundamental and structuring role that women play in the agricultural sector in Quebec," said AQ president Valérie Fortier, who is one of the 27 per cent of women who own or co-own farm businesses in the province.

The dairy farmer from Saint-Valère, in the Centre-du-Québec region, points out that although the number of women has increased since she started in the business, "mental overload has also evolved over the years."

Interested women farmers can be supported at every stage of their journey: "We offer assistance programs from project start-up through to business transfer, because it's something you plan for. So there will be less overload."

The mother feels privileged to have her succession assured, which is far from the norm.

"Of my three children, one is currently studying agricultural mechanics, one wants to be a vet, and my son wants to take over the farm. So I'll have the perfect trio!"

Even though her children are now teenagers, balancing work and family remains a challenge.

"It's not as bad as it used to be, but I'm more of a 'taximom'. I'm trying to reconcile work, involvement and the cab," laughed Fortier.

According to her own experience and the testimonials she hears, women generally have more on their shoulders than men.

"At company level, women do pretty much the same as men, but, on top of that, there's accounting, which women do 90 per cent of, family management and household chores. We do more than one task in a day. We have more roles," said Fortier.

Female survey respondents reported holding an average of 5.1 different roles within their company.

Overcoming impostor syndrome

By its very nature, agriculture is a solitary field. Being able to count on such a network not only helps to break this isolation but, above all, to pool resources and thus help each other.

"We have course cells where 10 or so female producers meet for several weeks at a time," said Fortier. "Each week, a woman talks about a specific problem she's experiencing, and together, they come up with possible solutions. A woman who's not in the same kind of production may come up with an idea like that, and it'll be an idea that makes sense. The woman will put it into practice, and it will reduce her mental load."

Fortier added that "the higher our mental load, the more isolated we become, and the worse it gets."

"The more we talk about it, the more women will be able to look for tools to help themselves, and it's only going to get better," she says. "We must remain hopeful.

But the battle is not yet won. Prejudices persist.

"Women often have impostor syndrome. We tend to think that because we're women, we're restricted," said Fortier. "There has been an evolution, but if we continue to bring up our children by telling the girl to help mom in the kitchen and the boy to help his father in the stable or in the field, we won't change education. There are still prejudices in all age groups.

"One evening, on the way home from school, my daughter, who is studying agricultural mechanics, said to me: 'Mom, I understand why you're involved with the Fédération des agricultrices.' The guys had taken all the chairs to sit on at lunch, one butt on two chairs, to show that there was no more room for her.

"She told me: 'I went and got myself a chair in another room and sat down at the table and looked at them. It's not true that I'm going to eat at our place and give them the reason that I don't belong there.' We're talking about young people between 16 and 18, so there's still a lot of work to be done to change mentalities."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 13, 2024.