Consumer pork preferences AND Anxiety and depression on the farm

Available at farmnewsnow.com or wherever you find your favorite podcast.

Agriculture through a modern lens.

This is The AgriPod with Alice McFarlane.

Hey everyone, I'm away this week, but I didn't want to leave you without something to listen to.

So today I'm sharing one of our previous episodes that many of you loved.

And I hope you enjoy the replay and I'll be back with brand new episode very soon.

When it comes to various cuts of pork, consumer preferences have changed dramatically over the past 20 years.

Since COVID, consumers have been contending with steadily increasing food prices.

Hubert Buchel is a retired southwestern Manitoba butcher and meat cutter who retired in 2023 after working for more than 50 years.

He estimates that food prices have approximately doubled over the past four years alone.

He says the price of medium ground pork has gone from $1.99 a pound to $4.50 a pound for the exact same product.

There is growing recognition of the need to address anxiety and depression among farmers.

The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program is an online support program for farmers, their families and their employees who are dealing with anxiety or depression.

Program Vice Chair Roberta Gelbreith says the program was a response to a 2016 University of Guelph study that revealed depression and anxiety levels within the agriculture sector, particularly among farmers, were substantially higher than the general population.

And she says a follow-up 2021 study has showed that needle hadn't moved.