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By CAITLIN CROWLEY
LONELINESS, isolation and feeling under-valued by the Australian public are contributing to a mental health crisis among the nation’s farmers, according to new research which found close to half had experienced thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
The National Farmer Wellbeing Report, commissioned by dairy cooperative Norco and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) paints a bleak picture of the mental wellbeing of Australian farmers.
45 percent of those surveyed had thought about self-harm or suicide, while close to a third had actually attempted to harm themselves, take their own life or knew a fellow farmer who had.
The figures were much higher for Australia’s next generation of producers, with a shocking 84 percent of 25-34 year olds having thoughts of self-harm and suicide at some point in their life.
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“64% of farmers say they have experienced anxiety and 45% have had bouts of depression in the past few years; for one in seven (14%) anxiety is a worryingly frequent occurrence,” the report said.
Just over a quarter of those surveyed identified feelings of loneliness and isolation, and three in four felt the role they play is undervalued by the Australian public.
NFF President Fiona Simpson said the report would make for “uncomfortable reading” but that sometimes that’s what’s needed to prompt real action.
“These findings should be a wake-up call to everyone who supports farmers – from government to service providers, right through to our end customers,” Simpson said.
“We need to reflect on ways to improve this situation as a matter of urgency – and show farmers that they’re not alone.”
Australian AgTech start-up AirAgri is developing an online screening tool to help farmers recognise mental health warning signs and connect with support at the click of a button.
Co-founded by farming brothers Paul and James Diamond (pictured above), AirAgri treats “what’s going on between the farmers’ ears” the same as other risk factors on-farm.
“We are a safety platform – we want to cover all bases as simply as possible because we understand that farmers don’t have the time to do certain things, or want to do certain things,” James Diamond told the Caller.
“They don’t want to walk into a GP and raise their hand, they don’t want to pick up the phone to a stranger.”
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AirAgri is currently testing one of the world’s first clinical artificial intelligence tools, which will ask farmers basic questions and use their responses to help identify risks and connect them with help.
“We’re not going to pioneer this but we’re working with psychology clinics on virtual chat – texts – where you are talking to a trained, clinical psychologist,” James Diamond said.
“We’re really trying to simplify it, but it feels amazing to think we could potentially save a life.”
The Farmer Wellbeing Report found the weather, including natural disasters, followed by financial stress and cost pressures were the top three triggers for mental health concerns among farmers.
Norco endorsed three key recommendations to address the crisis, starting with restoring “much-needed pride” in the farming community by championing Aussie produce and those who grow it.
“Our farmers really are the backbone of this nation and work tirelessly to deliver essential goods to feed the Australian public, so it’s clear that more work needs to be done to acknowledge this and plug the appreciation gap,” Norco CEO Michael Hampson said.
“To help ensure our farmers feel valued, there’s really no better place to start than by making sure that we, as Australians, choose Aussie farmer products over foreign companies and imported products.”
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The report also encouraged farmers to check in on each other, after finding, “farmers respond best to other farmers, who are uniquely placed to understand the challenges they’re facing.”
The final recommendation was for the farming industry to invest in mental health training for its workers.
Norco is offering Lifeline Crisis Supporter Training to all field officers, some co-op farmer members, senior executive team and Board of Directors, to help them identify and provide support to farmers who may be struggling.
The National Farmers’ Federation is also calling on all levels of government to urgently assess the resourcing they provide to farming communities to support wellbeing and mental health.
“We know that the challenges farmers face differ from those in metropolitan Australia or larger regional centres,” Fiona Simpson said.
“They need support from services that speak their language, and understand the pressures they face.”
