Brexit poses mental health challenge

MORE needs to be done to help Welsh farming families cope with the stresses and strains of Brexit, according to a new health report.

As the industry is likely to see a “major negative impact”, farmers will be on the firing line and their mental health could suffer, said Public Health Wales (PHW).

Adjusting to the potential loss of income streams and export markets, and to new regulatory frameworks, will be a major challenge for many, it said.

PHW has co-authored a report with the Mental Health Foundation which is based on feedback from farmers and farming organisations.

This revealed that many producers fear for the industry’s future viability and are already grappling with financial pressures, excessive red tape and difficulties with succession planning.

Some are also suffering from isolation and loneliness, not helped by a stoical farming culture which prevents them seeking emotional support, the report found.

Jack Evershed, a farmer who chairs Rural Health and Care Wales, said: “As a farming community we have a strong tradition of giving our neighbours practical physical help like lending a hand.

“It would be great if we became equally adept at identifying psychological problems.”

An inability to control what happens to their businesses – from weather events to farmgate prices – was a big source of stress.

So too was the loss of social networks when, for example, younger farmers left the YFC.

Even though many farms are operating in heavy debt, diversification is not an option for all due to their size and location.

Streamlining farm administration, and reducing its complexity, would be a big help, the report concluded.

It suggested the use of outreach services, such as that offered by Dolgellau Hospital, and the use of intermediaries such as vets to spots signs of depression.

Even farm inspectors could be a “gateway to support”, as formfilling mistakes can be an indicator of a struggling farmer.