Major coalition: Urgent mental health help needed in agriculture

Major coalition: Urgent mental health help needed in agriculture

A major coalition has sent a powerful message calling for immediate action to address the mental health crisis in agriculture.

The Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) has joined thirty other rural and healthcare organisations to launch a joint statement to address the crisis disproportionally affecting people in agriculture.

Ahead of a federal budget and election, the coalition is calling on the Government to make an immediate investment of $50 million over five years to address the crisis.

“No one gets into farming thinking it’s going to be easy,” ABGC CEO Leanne Erakovic said. “However, it’s hard to prepare yourself for just how tough it can be at times.”

“Our growers are dealing with the day-to-day challenges of running a business and supporting their families. But there are so many other elements outside their control: natural disaster, skyrocketing costs, biosecurity and workforce challenges – just to name a few.

“We believe proactive steps to improve mental health and wellbeing in agriculture are crucial and cannot come too soon.”

Dr Tim Driscoll, Royal Flying Doctor Service Queensland Section’s State Manager – Mental Health, and Chair of the steering committee leading this initiative, said the statistics are sobering.

“A farmer dies by suicide every 10 days. That’s up to twice the rate of the general working population,” Dr Driscoll said.

“Poor mental health and suicide is having a devastating impact on rural families, communities and businesses right now, and we need federal help to fix it.

“The wellbeing of people in agriculture is impacted by increasingly complex and compounding events like weather and natural disasters, financial stress, and geographic or social isolation.”

National Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke said farming could be tough and there needed to be the right resources in place to help them deal with the challenges thrown at them.

“A farmer’s greatest asset isn’t their land, livestock or produce, it’s their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of the people around them.”

The principles outlined in the Joint Statement emerged from the National Forum on Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture in March 2024, and have been refined by a Steering Committee convened by The National Farmers’ Federation.

To join the coalition and support mental health and wellbeing in agriculture, contact the National Farmers’ Federation: 02 6269 5666 or reception@nff.org.au

Read the joint statement on Government action here.

For more visit www.nff.org.au

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