Farmers 'at crisis point over industry pressures'

Sam Stables founded a charity to support farmers affected by mental health issues

Farmers are "on their knees" as rising costs, adverse weather and other pressures take a toll on their mental health, a farmer has said.

Sam Stables, a farmer in Aconbury, said people were working more than 100 hours a week and were "at crisis point".

Mr Stables said he knew of farmers who had taken their lives last year.

More than nine in 10 British farmers, aged under 40, said poor mental health was one of the sector's biggest hidden problems, a recent survey found.

Mind Your Head, an annual campaign run by the Farm Safety Foundation, is taking place this week to raise mental health awareness amongst farmers.

When the foundation's survey was carried out in September 2023, 95% of farmers said mental health concerns were a problem, up from 84% in 2019.

'Bottling up'

"As an industry, the problems that we're facing with everything are becoming a lot more overwhelming," said Daniel Bloomer, a farmer in Shropshire.

Many farmers were "still bottling up" their feelings, and this was exacerbated by a job that involved spending long hours working alone, he added.

Mr Bloomer said he had friends who had died by suicide, with Mr Stables saying he knew of seven people in Herefordshire's farming community who took their own lives last year.

Mr Stables, who runs a support network with his wife for farmers and their families, said the stigma around talking about mental health was easing.

"It's really important that people understand that it's not your fault" and "it's just about getting the support", he told BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester.

Support directory

This week farmers are also being encouraged to take part in the Big Farming Tea Break, to help them sit down together face to face.

Lynda and Andy Eadon will be handing out teabags at Shropshire's Harper Adams' University in memory of their son, Len, who took his life in 2022.

And the Farm Safety Foundation has created a national directory of support groups, for those who are looking for help and information.

If you've been affected by the issues raised in this report, the BBC Action Line has a list of organisations that may be able to help.