Forget livestock and crops, focus on yourself

UK farmers might be renowned for the attention they give to their livestock, crops and machinery – but those involved in the industry have a poor track record when it comes to taking care of their own wellbeing.

That was the message being put out by the Farm Safety Foundation this week when it revealed that levels of depression in the industry appeared to be increasing – and that suicide rates within the industry were amongst the highest in any occupational group.

Gina Fusco, chair of the organisation’s board of trustees, said that it was well recognised that the industry had the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK – but added that stress was often a key factor in many of the accidents, injuries and illnesses which occurred on farms.

“Stress is something that many farmers face at some point and is an important contributor to mental health problems,” said Fusco. “It can come from many sources such as financial pressures resulting from market fluctuations, livestock disease or poor harvests, but concerns about Brexit, policies, administration and legislation can also take their toll.”

She said that the situation was compounded by the fact that farming was an innately conservative culture with some still perceiving that there was a stigma attached to mental health. “And this can hinder people’s willingness to speak about the issue and to seek help for themselves,” she said.

She added that the “mind your head” campaign being launched by the partnership aimed to encourage farmers and farming families not to neglect themselves, but to put themselves first, “open up” and get some help and advice on whatever concerns they had.

Group chief executive of co-founders of the initiative, NFU Mutual, Lindsay Sinclair, said that it was often assumed that elderly people were the worst affected by rural isolation, but the Mutual had found that under 25s could be just as vulnerable as over-65s.

He said this could lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.

“Few farmers feel comfortable discussing mental health issues – but the purpose of this campaign is to encourage conversations and address the stigma surrounding mental wellbeing,” he said.

“The first step can be as simple as talking to someone.”