Local MP, Mims Davies, has backed calls to support rural mental health following at the NFU's Summer Reception in Parliament today.
The event hosted by the NFU was attended by a variety of parliamentarians, including the Minister for Mental Health, Maria Caulfield.
The event highlighted the growing pressure on the mental health of our rural and farming communities. Soaring costs of production, as a result of the global turmoil of the past 18 months, has contributed to the poor mental health of farmers and food producers and today's event was an opportunity to kickstart the conversation about making the mental health of the nation’s food producers a priority.
Research reveals over 68% of farmers said that spiralling input costs – the cost of energy, fuel and fertiliser – has had a negative impact on their mental health.
New survey data also reveals that 61% of farmers felt unfairness in the supply chain has negatively impacted their mental health and almost 50% said rural crime is affecting their wellbeing. This is evidenced by the rising number of tractor GPS thefts seen in recent weeks.
Mims spoke to a range of farming charities and campaigners, helping farmers out in the field day-to-day, and farmers with their own mental health experiences.
Commenting on the event, Mims Davies MP, said:
I’m pleased we’re starting this vital work. It's important we talk openly about these issues and the help that is available. Mental health matters to us all. But for some people working in rural communities there are special factors that are often hidden in a world that sometimes feels like it is driven by those living in towns and cities.
As the former Minister for Loneliness, I know how people in our communities can sometimes suffer from isolation. That’s not to mention how insecure incomes, volatile weather and many other issues can be real stress factors.
Today's event highlights the urgent need to raise awareness of rural mental health. Our society needs to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health once and for all – it is OK to be not OK.
NFU Vice President, David Exwood, said:
Working in the farming industry is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. We produce high-quality, climate-friendly food for the nation while shaping some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. But as has been shown by our distressing survey results, the pressures are incredibly challenging too.
While we are starting to see a culture change within our sector, where talking about mental health is becoming more and more accepted, there are still too many farmers and growers simply ignoring the signs and struggling on in silence. I hope today’s event shows there is support out there as we mark the start of an important conversation.
Today the Government also published Unleashing Rural Opportunity - a new set of initiatives supporting housing, bolstering connectivity, and upgrading transport in rural communities as we work to grow the economy.
The countryside makes up 90 per cent of our country’s land mass, but many rural communities do not enjoy the same quality of services— including mental health support—as our cities, so it is right that we work to improve the lives of rural residents.
A thriving countryside benefits our whole country - helping to create jobs, spread prosperity, and grow our economy.
