A charity has called for urgent action to support farmers' mental health, with 94% of UK farmers under the age of 40 ranking poor mental health as one of the biggest hidden problems facing the industry.
A recent study by rural charity the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) revealed that poor mental health among farmers and agricultural workers is of growing concern and has a direct impact on safety on farms. In a sample of 450 farmers aged below 40, 94% cited poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem facing the industry today.
The past few years have proved challenging for the UK's farming industry due to continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the Coronavirus pandemic, supply chain shortages, the war in Ukraine and now, issues with the egg and poultry sector. Farmers are also struggling with the cost of living crisis, with the cost of fertiliser trebling in price, fuel costs doubling, and the loss of the BPS (basic payment scheme) all being cited as having a negative impact on rural mental health.
Read more: Study shows mental health support for farmers needs radical overhaul
This week, the Farm Safety Foundation launches its sixth annual Mind Your Head campaign which brings together more than 300 farming organisations and charities across the UK. The campaign aims to break down the stigma attached to poor mental health in the farming sector and recognise the current pressures on farmers.
In the same study mentioned above, 90% of young farmers agreed that farm safety and mental health are directly linked. In 2021/22, 22 farm workers lost their lives in fatal farm incidents, while 36 suicides were registered in England and Wales by those working in the farming and agricultural industry according to the Office of National Statistics - and the Farm Safety Foundation say that this shows there has never been a more important time to make sure farmers are looking after their physical and mental wellbeing.
Following a study in December which called for a radical overhaul of mental health support for farmers, Northumberland farmer Caitlin Riddell, who organised the Mind Your Head Ball at the Wooler Showfield in October 2022, told ChronicleLive: "I was working on my own, I was working really long hours in all weathers and whatever the day brought I had to get on and go and look after livestock and you're doing a lot of work in the dark, you're on your own a lot and that really highlighted to me how serious it could be for farmers.
"There are so many pressures on people in farming, had I know of what help was out there before I might not have struggled for so long or sought help earlier."
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: "Our research shows that levels of mental health in farming are deteriorating and it is being propelled by – in addition to many other things – the current political climate, stress caused by Covid and its aftermath, spiralling costs and continuing barriers to adequate care for many people living and working in the rural community. Farmers also recognise that there are barriers to ‘opening up’ about their mental health however, having ‘no one to talk to’ was not seen as a significant barrier.
"This is because we have fantastic farming charities and rural support groups operating in the UK. However, calls to rural support helplines have increased or become more complex over the past three years.
"For example: In Wales, Tir Dewi have noted 5-8 times the volume of calls to their helpline and The DPJ Foundation have made 47% more counselling referrals. In Northern Ireland, Rural Support have reported a 40% increase in calls to the support line; and, while call volumes to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and RSABI in Scotland have been consistent, the referrals and interactions have become more complex and require more of a multi-agency approach.
"Urgent action is needed to support the ongoing mental health of our farmers. We need to take the pressure off these rural support groups and charities who are increasingly relied upon to provide support for those in crisis situations."
For more information on the Mind Your Head campaign, visit the Yellow Wellies website or following them on social media using the hashtag #MindYourHead.
What would you like to see put in place for mental health and wellbeing in rural areas? Let us know!
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