In the midst of a challenging season of extreme climate events, the historic rainfall experienced throughout the province this weekend has come at a cost for many. Our thoughts are with all those affected and with our emergency responders working to keep everyone safe.
While farmers have always been at the mercy of mother nature, we understand that the increasingly frequent climate events that our province has been facing have left little time to recover in between. The wellbeing of our farmers and farm families mentally, physically and emotionally is top of mind. We encourage anyone in need of support to reach out to the Farm Family Support Line and refer to the mental health resources provided below. We are also working to address the priorities of our members including supporting on-farm risk management and enhancing industry emergency preparedness as we work towards a more resilient future.
We will be assessing the impact of this weekend’s rainfall and flooding to our farm community in order to advocate for the support and resources necessary. In the meantime, please refer to the following information on road safety and mental health support resources.
Road Safety
The heavy rains over parts of the province have impacted both public and farm roads as well as bridges. Have a good look at your roads and be cautious as you travel off the farm, especially in areas that suffered flooding. Standing water may have hidden hazards, so avoid going through flooded areas.
Washouts and ground saturation may make roads unstable, especially for heavy equipment. It’s best to avoid the shoulders of the roads, and travel on the roadbed itself, as the damage is not always visible. Be sure to share this with anyone operating your equipment on the roads, as operators generally try to stay far to the right to lessen the impact on public traffic. Drivers should only pull over in a safe spot to let traffic pass.
Road closures and detours may be impacting getting supplies to your farm, or products shipped from your farm. To check for verified road closures and detours, go to https://511.novascotia.ca/ or call 511 and enter the highway number you would like to check. Road closures have to be confirmed before being included on the 511 site, so if you know of a road hazard that is not listed on the map, please report it by calling 1-844-696-7737 or emailing dpw-occ@novascotia.ca
The 511 website also allows you to create an account and save your public road routes to receive automated notifications of events that impact the route. Whether it’s the milk truck route, access to fields or other farm locations, or your route to markets, you will be alerted to changes in that route. A handy tool for weather events and the repairs that will be needed to the provincial infrastructure.
Farm Family Support
We also recognize that the weather events of this past weekend may have taken a significant toll on your mental well-being. During this time of recovery, we want to take a moment to address the importance of mental health.
The emotional impact of such events can be overwhelming, and it’s essential to remember that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed and needs someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Farm Family Support Line for confidential and immediate assistance: 1-844-880-9142.
We Talk, We Grow: https://wetalkwegrow.ca
