'It's okay to have problems': Emo, Ont. farmer talks about mental health support for farmers

There's no question that the culture around farming is about being tough and determined.

Cattle farmer Kim Jo Bliss knows all too well about the hard, yet rewarding, life of being in agriculture in northwestern Ontario.

Which is why this week, as part of the Spring Farm Conference, Bliss is in Thunder Bay, Ont. speaking to other farmers about the importance of mental health.

"I think that as a farmer we deal with things everyday that maybe looks great on the outside, but it's not always like that," Bliss explained on the CBC's Superior Morning on Thursday, "and I think we forget to talk about our problems."

She said while the farming life is a life she loves, there are many factors that are not within a farmer's control such as grain prices, sick animals and even mother nature.

"It's usually very quiet [and] those are some of the perks as well, but not so if you are feeling down," Bliss said. "The weather is something that bothers us everyday and then you'll throw another loop in there ... some days you just are tired and don't want to get out of bed."

From the stresses of family and succession planning to the stresses of monthly payments and bills, Bliss said on top of dealing with the daily chores, people in agriculture need to "find someone [they] can vent to."