High rates of mental ill-health among farmers 'must act as wake-up call'
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High rates of mental ill-health among farmers identified in a recent survey are "alarming" and should serve as a catalyst for further action, the Irish Farmers Association has said.
Some 22.8% of 457 farmers surveyed by the University College Dublin Agri Mental Health Group were considered at risk of suicide and 82% knew someone who had died by suicide, as reported in the Irish Examiner last week.
In response, IFA social affairs executive Claire McGlynn said these results — while alarming and deeply concerning — were not surprising.
“[This] aligns with existing knowledge about the mental health challenges within the farming community,” she said.
She pointed to a number of factors currently impacting farmers, including long hours, financial instability and unpredictable weather, markets or regulations.
“These factors can contribute to high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression,” she said.
There is also still a sense of stigma around mental health in rural communities, and this can stop people going for help, Ms McGlynn said.
In turn, this increases feelings of isolation and hopelessness, she added.
“Given the known stressors associated with farming, this finding is consistent with other research and anecdotal evidence from the farming community.
"However, it is a stark reminder of the critical need for continued and expanded mental health support. The statistic reflects the dire consequences that unchecked stress and mental health issues can have on farmers.”
She called for these alarming results to be a starting point for change.
“The UCD survey’s findings should serve as a catalyst for further action,” she said.
The association is already working with farming communities around mental health and she said these findings underscored the importance of this work.
“IFA will continue to advocate for better mental health infrastructure in rural areas and ensure that farmers have the resources and support they need to manage their mental health effectively,” she said.
One support for farmers and their families is the Farming Resilience Programme, set up in 2021 with Mental Health Ireland and Teagasc.
“In more recent years farmers and the farming industry have been seriously put to the test by additional stressors and environmental and financial changes. These changing circumstances requires developing extra resilience,” Ms McGlynn said.
Farmers struggling with their mental health are advised to contact local IFA representatives for help.
It is also important not to face challenges alone, Ms McGlynn said, with the advice being: “Speaking with family, friends, or trusted colleagues can provide emotional relief and perspective”.
The top reason for the stress farmers reported to the UCD group were the extreme weather this year, feeling disenfranchised by climate change policies, market prices for crops or livestock, the future of the farm, seasonal variations in workload and outsiders not understanding the nature of farming.
More information on supports on the IFA mental health hub.