This week marks Farm Safety Foundation’s ‘Mind your Head’ campaign, raising awareness of the emotional and mental health challenges facing farmers.
Whilst Welsh farmers are renowned for the attention they give to their livestock, crops and machinery, we can all do more when it comes to taking care of ourselves and our own wellbeing.
The extent of the mental health crisis facing the sector was highlighted in a 2023 Farm Safety Foundation report, which saw 94% of UK farmers under 40 identify mental health as the biggest hidden problems they face day-to-day.
The cause of this endemic within the farming community can vary from farm to farm. However, it’s crucial we recognise that agriculture’s very nature often leaves farmers susceptible to such mental health pressures; from working long hours often in isolation, to significant financial pressures, extreme weather and other external influences.
Amongst these external factors, government politics and policies can often bear weight on the wellbeing of farmers. A recent survey by the Farmers Weekly found that politics was a cause of growing worry within the agriculture sector - with 20% of farmers identifying ‘government policy’ as the number one challenge for 2025 (up from 8% last year). As we’ve seen in the ongoing protests and upheaval within the sector, the changes to Inheritance Tax have been at the forefront of this growing sense of anxiety within the sector with farmers across the country fearing the impact the changes could have on their family farms.
For many Welsh farmers, the ongoing scourge of bovine TB continues as a significant cause of mental health strain, with a previous study finding 85% of farmers stating that bTB had negatively impacted their own mental health or of someone in their family. These findings were further confirmed in a report launched last month by the Farming Community Network, which found the policy focus on bTB as a serious animal disease often neglected the profound impact of the disease and the implementation of control measures on human health.
In the light of so many changes and challenges facing the sector, this week acts as a timely reminder for us to not only look after our own wellbeing, but also that of our friends and family. Despite the uncertainty facing the sector, help is at hand, and often sharing the load through talking or seeking help can be a big step forward. Here are some details for those who can provide support:
DPJ Foundation: 0800 587 4262
Tir Dewi: 0800 121 4722
FCN: 03000 111 999
RABI: 0800 188 4444