Depression, anxiety, rife among Aussie farmers with nearly half considering self-harm or suicide

New research paints an alarming picture of the mental health of Australia’s farmers, with 30 per cent reporting a decline in their mental health over the past few years and up to 45 per cent considering self-harm or suicide.

The confronting figures — outlined in research described as the most in-depth of its kind — examine the declining mental health of agricultural workers.

The National Farmer Wellbeing Report — commissioned by Australia’s oldest dairy co-operative Norco and the National Farmers’ Federation — found that in recent years, 45 per cent of farmers surveyed have felt depressed.

A further 64 per cent experienced anxiety and for 14 per cent, that feeling was a frequent experience.

Even more devastating, was that 45 per cent of Australian farmers have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, while 30 per cent have attempted self-harm or suicide.

The data adds to existing bodies of research which found that one farmer across the country took their own life every 10 days, and Australian farmers were twice as likely to die by suicide when compared with the general population.

More than a quarter of farmers (27 per cent) said feelings of loneliness or isolation, combined with limited access to mental health services, have had the biggest impact on their mental health over the past five years.

The survey included a total of 1338 Australian farmers aged more than 18, with representation from all States and Territories, as well as a cross-section of farming sectors, who were surveyed during the research.

National Farmers’ Federation vice president David Jochinke said the data highlighted a sense of shame and stigma still felt by many farmers when it came to discussing their mental health, and he urged governments and industry representatives to step in.

“Farmers are built tough and can certainly endure a lot, but it’s incredibly important that we work to normalise the issue of mental health and give our farmers both permission and a safe space to share their struggles,” he said.

“But to do this effectively, we need to have the right resources and support mechanisms in place to adequately address their challenges.

“This is a complex issue that requires a robust and whole-of-industry approach, and we support Norco’s calls for greater industry participation on this front, and we are also calling on all levels of government to urgently assess the resourcing they provide to farming communities as it’s clear their unique needs are not being met by existing services.”

According to the report, the top three factors affecting farmers’ mental health were weather or natural disasters (47 per cent), financial stress (36 per cent) and inflation and cost pressures (35 per cent).

Quantifying the impact across the country, it also found that 88 per cent of Australian farmers have had their farming operation significantly affected by natural disasters over the past five years, with an average cost of $1.4m per farm.

When asked what was most emotionally taxing about the experience, 54 per cent cited the financial burden, followed by the impact on animals and loss of stock (39 per cent), and the physical rebuild and recovery process (37 per cent).

One in five Aussie farmers (20 per cent) felt completely defeated and wanted to give up following an event, and of the 40 per cent of farmers who have contemplated leaving the industry, nearly a quarter cited the impact of natural disasters as the main reason.

Norco chief executive Michael Hampson said while the research findings were saddening, it was important to be able to understand just how pronounced the issue of mental health had become, especially in light of recent natural disasters.

“We saw firsthand the devastating impacts the unprecedented flooding event twelve months ago combined with the ongoing wet weather has on our farmers, many of whom are still rebuilding physically, financially, and emotionally,” Mr Hampson said.

“Overlay this with years of heavy drought, bushfires and now rising input costs across all farming sectors and it’s, unfortunately, the reality that many farmers are doing it tough.

“The research has solidified an issue that we were concerned existed, however, the breadth and depth of this issue is really quite profound.”

He said the considerations now, as an industry and a country, should be how to help address these challenges and work collectively to better support farmers into the future.

Potentially contributing to the issue, the report found that 76 per cent of Australian farmers believe that the role they play is undervalued by the Australian public.

They also believe that rural and remote communities are forgotten about and left behind when it comes to public policies and services, with 11 per cent calling for more support and funding from the government.

Mr Hampson said that it was devastating that such a high proportion of farmers don’t feel that what they do is valued.

“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,” he 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.

“But beyond this, we also need to consider ways in which we can actively help address the issue of declining mental health within our farming communities.”

Norco, which is a 100 per cent Australian farmer-owned dairy co-operative with 281 active members on 190 dairy farms in northern NSW and southeast Queensland, is taking a longer-term view on this issue and currently has several support initiatives in place which include providing mental health training, access to mental health tools and support, fundraising for research and hosting community wellness events.

Findings from the report indicate that many farmers were suffering in silence with more than half 51 per cent not wanting to burden family or friends with their problems or simply not comfortable discussing them.

Fifteen per cent also reported difficulty accessing suitable services in their community.

If you or anyone you know needs help call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.

NEW RESEARCH SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES OF FARMERS

• 1338 Australian farmers were interviewed for the National Farmer Wellbeing Report.
• The National Farmers’ Federation says it’s the most in-depth research to date on the mental health of farmers.
• The report examined depression and anxiety among farmers across genders, geography, generation and sectors.
• The first study of farmers since floods hit eastern Australia.
• 45 per cent of farmers reported thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
• 30 per cent have attempted self-harm or suicide.
• 64 per cent experienced anxiety and 45 per cent have been depressed in the past few years.
• One in seven was unable to access the help they needed.
• 47 per cent said weather, including natural disasters, had “triggered” their mental health issues.
• 88 per cent said their farming operations had been adversely affected by weather during the past five years, with an average cost of $1.4 million per farm.
• More female farmers experienced depression during the past five years (51 per cent), compared to men (43 per cent).
• More than a third (36 per cent) of female farmers say their mental health has declined in the past few years compared to one in four men.