2020 and 2021 have been challenging for the UK’s farming industry. There were extreme weather conditions, poor harvests, supply chain shortages and a global pandemic to contend with but, through it all, farming endured as it always does. The UK’s farmers are a remarkable breed; adaptable, resilient and incredibly hardworking but the commitment of our farmers comes at a price.
In an industry that continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK, making sure we are all looking after our physical and mental wellbeing has never been more relevant. So, this week marks our fifth annual Mind Your Head campaign which illustrates the actions being taken to break down mental health barriers in farming.
Our annual tracker research (October 2021) revealed that mental health issues among farmers and agricultural workers are of growing concern and having a direct impact on safety on farms. With 92% of farmers under the age of 40 citing poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today (an increase from 82% in 2018).
In an industry where 34 farm workers lost their lives in fatal farm incidents in 2020/2021 (HSE), there were a total of 44 suicides registered in England and Wales in those working in the farming and agricultural industry in 2020 according to the Office of National Statistics.
According to Professor Louis Appleby, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Manchester and Chair of the national advisory group on suicide prevention at the Department of Health and Social Care:
“Figures like these are important in understanding the tragedy of suicide. They are not dry data, they are real lives lost, real families devastated. No figure, whether high or low, is acceptable. We need to beware of alarming claims and predictions without evidence – misleading and potentially harmful to those in the industry who are already struggling.”
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager Farm Safety Foundation
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation said: “As an industry, I think it is time to deal with the issue of poor mental health head on. We need to talk about our feelings and let everyone living and working in farming know that it’s completely ok to have feelings, good and bad, but it’s also important to let them out. Life isn’t always as it seems, we don’t post on social media about the days that we wished we didn’t get out of bed or the days we didn’t feel like it. Most people feel the pressure to keep up with everyone’s ‘perfect’ life.
It is important to know what is really going on behind the smile, or even the grumpy demeanour. Many people living and working in rural communities are suffering and doing so in silence. As an industry, it’s time to ease the pressure, stop expecting people to be perfect and start talking openly about feelings with people you trust.”
Today is Valentine’s Day – a day when many show their affection by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love and this Valentine’s Day, we are reminding farmers that self-love is important too.
Stephanie added: “A day like Valentine’s Day which celebrates love and togetherness can often highlight how different, alone or low we feel so it is important to check in with yourself and others and reach out to those who may be feeling down, lonely or struggling. Whatever it is that you choose to do, just know that your mental health should never be ignored and you are not alone.”
In October 2021, the RABI Big Farming Survey revealed that 36% of the farming community in the UK were ‘probably’ or ‘possibly’ depressed however, the stigma around mental health often prevents those who need help from seeking it. So, for the next five days, key farming individuals and organisations from across the UK will join us and try to dispel the myths and tackle the stigma around poor mental health in the industry and highlight the wealth of support available to those living and working in farming.
BBC’s Strictly winner, actor Kelvin Fletcher, who last year bought a 120-acre farm in the Peak District is supporting our 2022 campaign. As a new entrant to the industry, Kelvin appreciates the many challenges facing farmers at present and the importance of looking after your mental wellbeing at work.
BBC’s Strictly winner, actor, and now farmer, Kelvin Fletcher
He says: “I feel really privileged to have been welcomed so warmly by the farming community, who have supported me so much since I started my farm last year. Before joining farming, I had no idea the community was so heavily impacted by bad mental health.
Campaigns like Mind Your Head are so important if we’re going to chip away at the stigma that surrounds mental illness in the industry. If one person reads about Mind Your Head and decides to reach out or to check in on a loved one, that’s a step in the right direction.
Please, be that person and start the conversation. You never know how much it could mean to someone struggling silently.”
For more information on the Mind Your Head campaign this week please follow us on social media – @yellowwelliesUK on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #MindYourHead
