Cricket great Brad Hogg returns for Grain Producers Australia’s initiative urging farmers to ‘Take a Break’

Grain Producers Australia’s important mental health initiative returns this year, with a new theme and key messages highlighting the importance of farmers taking a break, to stay fit, fresh and healthy.

GPA’s Farmer Mates Mental Health Initiative started last year — in partnership with with Nufarm, Rural Aid and Lifeline — with Australian cricketing legend Brad Hogg appointed as the inaugural National Ambassador.

Mr Hogg attended field day events attended by GPA members across Australia, along with professional support provided by members of Rural Aid’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Team.

Last year’s program reinforced the importance of farmers staying connected with their friends, family and communities, with an impressive debut performance at well attended events.

This year, Mr Hogg will tour the regions again, to continue sharing these important messages, while reminding farmers that it’s also vitally important to down tools and take a break from work.

GPA chairman and WA grain producer Barry Large said Mr Hogg’s messages on his ‘Take a Break’ tour were timely, given Australian grain producers produced a record crop of more than 67 million tonnes last year, valued at about $28 billion, following on from huge harvests the previous two seasons.

Mr Large said this peak grain production period also coincided with compound challenges from; the COVID-19 pandemic, flooding and storms during harvest, mouse plagues and record high input costs — all while farmers were recovering from severe drought in east coast farming communities.

“Australian farmers and rural communities are renowned for our resilience, but we also need to remember it’s vitally important to step back from work and take a proper break,” he said.

“This break is important for our mental health, and our general health and well-being.”

Mr Large said while many farmers respond to challenges by working harder, this was not a sustainable approach.

“Ensuring you and your family take a holiday — and plan to take time proper away from the farm in future — is just as important to success as planting seeds for this year’s cropping program,” he said.

Mr Hogg said treating yourself was an essential asset vital to any farm business.

He said taking a break and booking a future holiday was an investment in positive, healthy returns.

“Taking real time away from work on the farm, to recharge the batteries, is an opportunity to gain fresh objectivity and perspective, creating a clear head and thinking space,” Mr Hogg said.

“This is about taking some real time off and stepping away properly, which opens the pathway to fresh thinking and new perspectives on how to solve problems and find solutions. “

In doing so, Mr Hogg said farmers could return to work feeling re-energised, after a good spell away, with a new level of vitality and renewed attitude to problem-solving.

Nufarm Australia commercial general manager Peter O’Keeffe said his company was proud to be supporting GPA’s initiative with Mr Hogg and the team, to improve mental health awareness and suicide prevention in rural areas.

GPA chief executive Colin Bettles said Mr Hogg had already spoken at a number of community events in early 2023, as part of his national ambassador’s role and he welcomed other groups doing more.

“There’s a great opportunity for others to get involved and take action in this space,” he said.

“Brad’s not only a great speaker and ambassador for mental health, he cares about these issues and want to talk and listen to what other people have to say about their own challenges,”

Rural Aid’s Mental Health and Wellbeing team of professional counsellors are based in rural towns throughout Australia.

Rural Aid chief executive officer John Warlters said taking well-being services direct to farmers was at the heart of Rural Aid’s ethos and supporting the initiative was consistent with the work of its team of counsellors that lived and worked in rural communities.

Hogg is set to visit farm events in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, with discussions under way for him to visit WA this year too.