Measuring Impact & Identifying Future Action

Client: Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag)

Expertise Applied:

  • Grant writing

  • Stakeholder engagement and facilitation

  • Qualitative research analysis

  • Strategic thinking and planning

We worked with the Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag) to better understand the state of mental health awareness, educational offerings, and resource delivery in the Canadian agricultural industry.

Our work began with collaboration on a funding application through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriDiversity Program, a federal initiative. We supported Do More Ag with conducting the necessary research for the application, drafting the content, and developing the project budget. This application was successful; the project was funded (up to $76,756) in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the AgriDiversity Program.

Once Do More Ag secured this funding, we began the project. It had three main goals:

  1. To complete a developmental evaluation of Do More Ag’s overall contribution and impact through its outreach, engagement, and program offerings.

  2. To develop recommendations of collaborative next steps that can be taken to continue to champion the well-being of all individuals within the industry.

  3. To present a critical path forward for Do More Ag to consider as it seeks to expand and improve its resource development and advocacy efforts.

To achieve these goals, we planned and facilitated key stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and a national survey. In total, 340 people responded to the survey and 52 people participated in the focus groups. Additionally, we leveraged the expertise of an advisory team. This team provided insights on the current attitudes towards mental health in the agricultural industry and supported with industry outreach.

We also reviewed academic and industry literature. Through this environmental scan, we analyzed the current state of knowledge about farmer mental health and gathered information about existing mental health resources for the agricultural industry.

Through our research and engagement, we developed six key recommendations for the agricultural industry:

  1. Collect more demographical information about traditionally underrepresented groups within both the Canadian farm population and the Canadian agricultural industry.

  2. Shift the messaging from “farmer mental health” to “agriculture-centred mental health” to recognize the diversity of people and roles within the agricultural industry, and to promote inclusivity.

  3. Prioritize efforts to address internal stigma about mental health in the agricultural industry.

  4. Develop a unifying logo to signify support for mental health in the agricultural industry.

  5. Develop a centralized hub for mental health resources.

  6. Continue to advance efforts to support inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) within the Canadian agricultural industry.

Do More Ag and the industry can implement the six key recommendations, and associated sub-recommendations, to help support the health of the most valuable asset in the sector: the people. We also developed action-oriented recommendations to help Do More Ag grow its reach and impact.

Bonnie Taylor, a Psychotherapist and Registered Social Worker in Ontario, served as the Farmer Mental Health Expert Advisor for this project. Openly provided support on the development evaluation.

“The Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag) collaborated with Wilton Consulting Group (WCG) on a project to better understand the state of mental health awareness, educational offerings, and resource delivery in the Canadian agricultural industry. Thanks to WCG’s support, we successfully secured funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriDiversity Program. Through the research and engagement project, we identified tangible ways that Do More Ag and others working in the agricultural industry can strengthen supports and advocacy for mental health. We are already implementing the recommendations to better serve traditionally underrepresented groups in our industry.”

- Megz Reynolds, Executive Director, Do More Ag

You can learn more about the project through this press release:



You can also access the entire report here:

Is your organization interested in engaging with the agri-food industry or your rural community to better understand the strengths, challenges, gaps, and opportunities your sector and your organization faces? Are you interested in gaining a clearer picture of your organization’s impact on the broader industry, and how to extend your reach? Our team of professionals can help!