Latest news with #2025FarmerHealthCheckProgramme
RTÉ News
24-07-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Programme launched to address health among farmers
Aengus Cox, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Correspondent, reports that the IFA has launched its 2025 Farmer Health Check Programme at Ballymahon Livestock Mart in Longford.
RTÉ News
24-07-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Programme launched to address health, wellbeing among farmers
The Irish Farmer's Association (IFA) has launched its 2025 Farmer Health Check Programme at Ballymahon Livestock Mart in Longford. The initiative aims to address health and wellbeing challenges faced by farming and rural communities. The project started this week and will run until the end of October, with checks taking place at over 30 locations across the country. It follows a pilot programme last year that saw much more demand than expected from farmers for the service. The 2024 health check found that nearly half of those who took part (over 1,200, which was 22% higher than the target) presented with elevated blood pressure or cholesterol levels. In addition, many of those who participated said they valued the opportunity to discuss mental health concerns such as stress, anxiety, and depression. The aim is to address health and wellbeing challenges faced by the farming community. The IFA has teamed up with heart-health charity Croí, whose medical staff are carrying out the health checks. The IFA said it wants to build on the success of last year's pilot programme, and has set a target of getting more than 2,000 farmers to take part. However, based on the response from farming and rural communities so far, it expects that targeted to be easily exceeded.
