Mental Health Support

Mental Health Support

One farmer a week takes their own life. At least one.

Farming is experiencing a difficult time, with changing climate patterns, Government policy making, and global conflicts both raising costs and hampering supply routes, all resulting in a bleak outlook. Naturally, this has an effect on the individuals, families and communities that work in and around our rural areas.

In McCain’s 2025 Farmdex report only 9% of respondents responded that they had experienced no mental health challenges, the remaining responses being split, or a combination of financial stress, anxiety, overwork and isolation or loneliness.

A Farm Safety Foundation report found that 95% of farmers under the age of 40 considered mental health to be hidden problem in agriculture today.

The Big farming Survey (RABI 2021) revealed the following

A third of farmers were likely or probably depressed.

Almost half of farmers experience anxiety.

Women are more likely to suffer poor mental health.

Livestock farming has a greater ratio of those suffering poor mental health

Young people are more likely to feel lonely, but less likely to seek support.

Causes of stress include regulation and inspection, unpredictable weather, rural crime, financial pressures and not feeling valued by the public. On average, six separate factors were declared by those experiencing mental health. Combined with long working hours (even higher at certain times of year), reliance on family for unpaid farm work, lack of opportunity to take a meaningful break and isolation, it’s easy to see why poor mental health in farming is a problem.

RABI is a charity that provides a wellbeing service, access to counselling, financial and practical support. Their number is 24 hours/365 days a year. Here is the link https://rabi.org.uk/how-we-can-help/

NFU Mutual have produced a downloadable information booklet found here https://yellowwellies.org/LBMYH.pdf

If you’re reading this in Lincolnshire, further help can be found from Lincolnshire Rural and Agricultural Chaplaincy at https://lrac.org.uk/

Alongside the above, you can contact your GP or local mental health services.

Police officers naturally have professional experience of dealing with those in crisis, identifying warning signs and asking the difficult questions when we feel someone may be in need of support. But many also have personal experiences, from which grows a deeper understanding and empathy for anyone experiencing a mental health issue. Your Rural task Force officers recognise the impact of mental health, and the added complexities faced by those in agriculture. Whilst out and about meeting farmers and rural communities, we will be talking about mental health to do our part to make these conversation easier, and a part of everyday life.

Please don’t suffer in silence.

Tell someone.

#mentalhealth @rabi #nfumutual

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