Antony Higginbotham MP is supporting the Farm Safety Foundation’s Mind Your Head campaign, which runs this week. The campaign aims to highlight the significant mental health risks associated with working in agriculture.
Farmers work long hours, often in isolation. They can be under significant financial pressure, often needing to take on considerable debt to purchase the land and equipment. In most cases, a farmer’s place of business is also his or her home, meaning there is no easy way to get away from the workload. In addition, farmers are constantly vulnerable to events and circumstances that can impact their bottom line, from weather and natural disasters to international trade disputes.
A recent study by leading rural charity the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) has revealed that poor mental health among farmers and agricultural workers is of growing concern. In a sample of 450 farmers under the age of 40, respondents almost universally (95%) agreed that poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing the industry today.
Farming has the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK and stress is often a key factor in many of the incidents, injuries and illnesses which take place on British farms. The Farm Safety Foundation wants to create a culture in farming that promotes positive mental health, prevents people from experiencing mental ill health and helps them better manage mental health problems.
Speaking about the Mind Your Head campaign, Antony said:
Our local farmers not only produce top quality food but also play a pivotal role in maintaining our beautiful countryside. They work long hours, sometimes alone and as the Farm Safety Foundation say, face mental health risks that people need to be mindful of.
Our mental wellbeing is just as important as our physical health and is why we need to look out for each other and have these types of conversations with friends and family.
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, commented:
“We were delighted to have been invited by Sarah Dyke in advance of our seventh annual Mind Your Head campaign to meet with MPs and caseworkers and share a valuable insight into why 95% of young farmers in the UK agree that poor mental health is the biggest hidden danger facing the industry. We are happy to support those in power understand the needs of their constituents and help shape a plan with a focus on tackling the reasons why so many in farming communities are struggling with their mental health, as well as highlighting the importance of government investment in and improvement of education and services.”
