Farmers in Gloucestershire says "it's so important to talk" about mental health
They're encouraging others to pick up the phone during lockdown
Farmers in Gloucestershire are encouraging each other to talk about mental health.
Isolation is one of the biggest issues in the farming community as large scale machinery and equipment have replaced the number of people working on farms in recent years.
As lockdown continues there are fears loneliness is only getting worse with many of them working alone for nearly 10 hours a day.
Farmers in the county are now urging each other to pick up the phone or seek help if they're experiencing low mood or mental health issues.
Daniel Ratcliffe, a dairy and beef farmer and member of the NFU Next Generation Forum, said:
"There's a lot of little factors about the job that can creep up on you and affect your mental health.
"We're not having any sales reps come on the farm which is usually a big help for some farmers who work alone as they are able to have contact with someone.
"But if you haven't seen another neighbouring farmer or one who lives in the community, give them a ring and ask how they are.
"But really make sure you ask and find out how they're doing. Something as simple as that can really help".
The latest figures from the Farm Safety Foundation show around 84% of farmers under 40 believe mental health is the biggest danger facing the industry.
It says threats to mental health included “smiling depression”, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loneliness, rural isolation and mental health in young farmers.
Daniel Ratcliffe continued:
"It's really important farmers and other people who work remotely to be aware of the early signs of feeling low and seek help as soon as they can.
"Professional help is not anything to be ashamed of. It's all about forward thinking and getting ahead of the problem before it gets worse.
"There's lots of work going on now with farming charities like Yellow Wellies and the Farming Community Network to really bring the subject to the forefront of our minds and making sure farmers know there is help out there".
Farming Community Network - https://fcn.org.uk/
Yellow Wellies - https://www.yellowwellies.org/