Dr Neil Hudson MP attended an event in the House of Commons to promote the Farm Safety Foundation's seventh annual Mind Your Head 2024 campaign to highlight the significant mental health risks associated with farm work.
The campaign starts today and lasts all week (12th-16th February), it brings together more than 300 farming organisations, public bodies and charities from the breadth of the UK to help break the stigma attached to mental ill health which unfortunately is still a barrier to those in the agricultural community seeking help.
Having instigated a parliamentary report into Rural Mental Health, worked closely with a range of farming mental health charities and representing England's largest rural constituency – veterinary MP Dr Hudson is a key supporter of the important initiative to boost mental health and wellbeing - and ultimately save lives.
As the EFRA Committee report found, 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 they require. 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 extreme weather and natural disasters to animal disease outbreaks.
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.
This year’s Mind Your Head campaign will once again cast a spotlight on farmers’ and agricultural workers’ mental health. The Farm Safety Foundation is encouraged by the number of farm businesses and organisations learning more about how to help their workers and suppliers and engaging with rural support groups and charities to help them deliver training. Mind Your Head 2024 will showcase what the industry is doing to address the issue, what some inspirational individuals are doing to bring awareness and, importantly, what farmers can do for themselves.
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.
Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
“Having instigated a Parliamentary inquiry and report on Rural Mental Health, I am acutely aware of the significant mental health challenges facing our rural communities.”
“Farmers and farm workers make huge sacrifices to keep the nation fed and keep our landscape in shape - and yet sometimes they can care far more for their work than themselves. We must start these tough conversations about mental health and physical health in order to break down stigmas which unfortunately are still a huge barrier to those in need seeking help.”
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation who spoke to Dr Hudson about their shared passion, added:
“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.”
