We're hearing poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem in farming

Farmers across Lincolnshire and Newark are being encouraged to speak out about their mental health to help break the stigma around it.

The Farm Safety Foundation found 94% of farmers under 40, believe it's the biggest hidden problem facing the industry today.

The charity Yellow Wellies, is bringing together over 300 agricultural organisations to break down the stigma of mental health and recognise the pressures on farmers.

The past few years have undoubtedly proved challenging for the UK’s farming industry. Continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit, a global pandemic, supply chain shortages, the war in Ukraine and now, issues with the egg and poultry sector have been impacting the mental health of those living and working in farming.

Farmers are also struggling with spiralling costs. The cost of fertiliser has trebled in price, red diesel - the diesel farmers use, has doubled in price and, with the current climate, cost of living, loss of basic payment scheme and more environmental pressures, the impact on farmers, their business and their mental health is giving charities like the Farm Safety Foundation cause for concern.

A recent study by leading rural charity the Farm Safety Foundation, also known as the 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.

We spoke to Gainsborough farmer, Charles Anyan, about the difficulties farmers face, day to day:

"Mental health problems have always, you know, been around in farming because for well, for a few reasons, we do a lot of lone working. So, we spend a lot of time on our own. There's an awful lot of stresses revolving around running your own business around farming. The crisis in Ukraine has put up a lot of input costs, which, in arable farming has been matched a bit, by the price of wheat, which we benefited from. But a lot of the livestock guys who use wheat to feed their livestock, you know, they really suffering.

So there's a lot of business pressures, weather pressures, there's an awful lot going on, and an awful lot which can affect farmers."

In a sample of 450 farmers under 40, 94% agreed that poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing the industry today.

This week, the Farm Safety Foundation will be focusing on the issue through their sixth annual Mind Your Head campaign which brings together over 300 farming organisations and charities across the UK.

The campaign will continue to break down the stigma attached to poor mental health in the farming sector and recognise the current pressures on farmers and how it impacts on their mental health and their ability to farm safely.

In an industry that has one of the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK, making sure farmers are looking after their physical and mental wellbeing has never been more important.

In the same study, 90% of young farmers agreed that farm safety and mental health are directly linked however, the foundation’s research also revealed some alarming results about those registering lower mental wellbeing scores.

In the study, using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scores, farmers with lower mental wellbeing scores were less likely to take steps to stay safe on the farm (e.g. wear Personal Protective Equipment PPE, carry out risk assessments). They were also more likely to admit to taking risks, less likely to think about the consequences and less likely to take personal responsibility for their safety.

Charles Anyan is also a Local ambassador for the Farming Community Network and has this advice:

"Mental health is as important as physical health.

I think the danger of mental health is it's often invisible. As an industry, there's obviously a lot of stigma attached to mental health as well, which I think we are getting better at addressing. But, we've all got to to take care of our own heads with the mind your head campaign. And not just this week, but every week.

We've got to keep an eye out for our neighbours, our friends in the industry, and if things aren't, you know what they would seem, you've got to delve into it. You've got to talk to them about it.

Hopefully with campaigns like the Yellow Wellies mind your head campaign, it's a case of redressing the balance. You don't suffer in silence.

I think the reason partly I've never struggled, is if I do have a problem, I can talk to someone and the problem, you know, a problem shared, is a problem halved."

For more information on the Mind Your Head campaign please visit www.yellowwellies.org