Proposals need to be kept alive for after the October election.Ottawa—Sixteen actions the federal government could take to help with the mental health crisis on the country's farms are proposed in a report from the Commons agriculture committee.The report, Mental Health: A Priority for Our Farmers, includes 10 recommendations adopted by all three parties plus six more added by the Conservatives to add some heft to the main ones.To launch the report, most of the committee members stood together on the podium of the Parliament Hill news conference room to underscore the importance of the report's contents, a rare show of solidarity in the politically-chippy atmosphere in advance of this fall's election.Action on the recommendations is unlikely until after the October vote but that doesn't mean farm groups can't push the proposals during the election campaign and with whatever party wins the vote.Unpredictable weather and environmental conditions, market fluctuations, debt and changing regulations are just some of the many uncertainties that stress farmers, the report said. “Many feel isolated, work long hours and sometimes experience stigma, especially on social media, which intensifies their existing stress level.”The social media attacks on modern farming need to be closely scrutinized by the authorities with the possibility of criminal charges for the most extreme.Committee Chairman Pat Finnigan said the current level of mental health services available to farmers doesn't meet the need. “Access to mental health care remains limited in rural areas, health professionals do not have a proper understanding of the unique challenges of farming, and current efforts to help farmers are not coordinated across the country.”Alberta Conservative MP Earl Dreeshen, who proposed the mental health study, said mental health issues are reaching crisis proportions among Canadian farmers. “There are many and varying causes for the high stress levels. We need a co-ordinated national approach to dealing with it.”NDP spokesman Alistair MacGregor said the committee wanted “to shine the spotlight on the issue” because farmers too often don't speak up about their own needs.MPs recommended that the federal government “coordinate, at the national level, current initiatives and various research and prevention efforts focused on the mental health of farmers.” It should increase resources available “to address the root causes of mental health issues by promoting public awareness about the value of farming and giving the sector adequate economic support.”Progress has been made in recent years to aid farmers through telephone help lines, consultations with mental health and agricultural professionals with funding from the federal government and agricultural producers' organizations but the MPS urged more be done. Farm Credit Canada's Rooted in Strength campaign is a good example of the kind of support that's needed.“Access to mental health care is still limited in rural areas, health professionals are still not familiar with the unique nature of agriculture, and current efforts to help farmers are not consistent across the country,” the report said. Witnesses called for more resources to address the root causes of mental health problems, “particularly by raising public awareness of the value of farming and providing adequate economic support to the sector.”Among the report's recommendations were for the government to apply common sense to audits and labour reviews of farmers so they don't amount to harassment. Government should also ensure adequate consultations for its regulatory changes, accelerate the deployment of high-speed Internet service in rural areas and enhance telephone help lines and e-mental health services for farmers and Canadians living in rural areas.Following the FCC's lead, the report said government should educate those “who work with farmers to detect the signs of psychological disorders and distress in order to refer them to resources that can help them.”Ottawa and the provinces should fund “recognized and accredited organizations that provide mental health assistance to farmers and their families.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.