91% of UK farmers consider poor mental health a hidden danger
A study has revealed that 91 per cent of UK farmers consider poor mental health as one of the biggest hidden dangers in the industry.
The research, conducted by the Farm Safety Foundation, highlights a significant mental health crisis within the farming community.
The charity's findings also indicate a steady decline in mental well-being among young farmers over the past four years.
The study identifies long working hours as a major factor contributing to this crisis.
44 per cent of farmers aged between 41 and 60 work more than 81 hours a week, a figure that has increased since 2023.
The study also reveals that 61 per cent of farmers still perceive poor mental health as a weakness.
The Office for National Statistics recorded 44 suicides in the farming and agricultural industry in England and Wales in 2022.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: "Farming has always been one of the most demanding industries, but the added strain of long hours, rural isolation and financial insecurity is putting farmers at risk.
"For us to change the cultural reluctance to discuss mental health, we need to listen and learn what farmers are feeling, what their attitudes are and what they are doing to address it themselves."
The charity's research also found that one in three farmers who work more than nine hours a day have had an accident or a near miss in the past 12 months, demonstrating the link between long hours and unsafe working conditions.
The Farm Safety Foundation's eighth annual Mind Your Head campaign, taking place from February 10 to 14, seeks to highlight the challenges within the UK's farming industry, tackle the stigma surrounding mental health, and encourage wellbeing and resilience in the sector.
The campaign features a series of roundtable events designed to explore different perspectives on farm safety and mental well-being.
His Royal Highness, The Duke of Rothesay, attended one such event, he said: 'I love the countryside and I love farming as well. And I am conscious that it's an area that needs maybe a little bit of support and understanding that there is access and support out there for young farmers.'
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