Falling prices put spotlight on farmers

Alan Wills says there are farmers struggling through difficult times and farmers need to watch out for each other. Photo / Andrew Warner

The health and wellbeing of farmers is under the spotlight and has prompted rural organisations to pull together and offer support - following falling dairy prices.

Dairy NZ wellness and well-being programme leader Dana Carver said about 2000 farmers had attended 50 Tactic for Tight Times seminars since they started at the beginning of theyear.

The organisation was also helping to promote the Rural Support Trust's helpline and was urging farmers to look out for each other.

"We are going to start promoting their number at all of our events ... and take it to the next level. It is not really known at the moment as a place to call if you are stressed or have mental health problems, its more if you have drought or financial issues," she said.

"But we want to get farmers more comfortable about calling up to say, 'I am not coping, is there somebody farmers-based that I can talk to'?"

Dairy NZ advocated farmers got a plan together if they felt stressed, shesaid.

It was important to talk to the bank and your accountant and to take care of yourself.

"You are going to have times that are tight and you need to take care of yourself. Keep connected with other people, keep talking, keep sharing, don't isolate yourself, the worse thing you can do is not come off farm."

Rural Support Trust Bay of Plenty chairman Derek Spratt said it was good that rural organisations were working together.

Farmers needed to swallow their pride and seek help, he said.

"It is not embarrassing, we need to know the embarrassing part is not knowing about it. If you are suffering and don't tell someone you could suffer a lot worse than if someone knows about it ... you need to swallow your pride."

The service was confidential and a good first port of call, Mr Spratt said.

Federated Farmers Rotorua/Taupo provincial president Alan Wills said there were farmers struggling through difficult times.

"There will be no payments made to farmers over the next two months by the milk companies and that will be the start of it. If things go well on farm and the calving goes well and we don't strike a bad patch of weather, most guys will cope with it."

But sometimes things caught up with people and they may need to ask for support, he said.

"The important thing here is that we have trained people out there with a wealth of support and experience available. And they have got a way of working through the process."

Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty provincial president Rick Powdrell said there was going to be an increased need for support.

"There are farmers out there that are going to be under a fair amount of pressure. Some will be in different financial positions regarding debt levels and we have to be realistic, we need to look out for each other."

There were telltale signs, Mr Powdrell said; people under stress usually became quite reserved and could stop going out.

So neighbours, family and friends needed to be on the lookout.

Farmstrong's Colin Wright said it had designed a programme where farmers could access practical information via its website on practical tips and strategies on topics that have been proven by science and research to improve mental health and wellbeing.

Help

Rural Support Trust: Call for help 0800 787 254, www.rural-support.org.nz

Farmstrong: www.farmstrong.co.nz

Tips

Getting away from the farm - for a few days or just a few hours - helps you to get the work-life balance right.

Getting a good night's sleep can make all the difference to your productivity on the farm.

Farmers need to inject physical movement back into their working day with a focus on fitness.

Healthy thinking helps you to be resilient, so you can manage the ups and downs of farming.

Source: Farmstrong