By Hannah Cargill, contract production manager, Avara Foods
October is recognised globally as World Mental Health Month, and although this column is being published in November, it’s a conversation that should never be limited to one month.
This morning, I attended my daughter’s harvest festival. The older children had written a poem about farmers – their long hours, early mornings, and lonely days, all in the name of feeding the nation. It struck a chord. Farming can be an isolating life, and this year has been particularly harsh. With the second worst harvest on record and changes to inheritance tax adding further uncertainty, it’s sadly no surprise that poor mental health is 46% higher in farming than in any other UK occupation.
Earlier in the month, I attended a conference where We Are Farming Minds, a Herefordshire-based mental health charity, talked about their work. The founder, Sam Stables, played a video about his own experience, told not only through his eyes but also through those of his wife, Emily. As the video ended, the room was silent. It was a powerful reminder that behind every farm gate is a human story.
Charities like We Are Farming Minds are making a real difference, alongside others that support rural communities. Their work matters deeply. Because while farming will always mean long hours and moments of solitude, the added weight of unpredictable markets, government policy changes, and cheap food imports makes an already demanding job feel even heavier. Much of that, sadly, is beyond our control.
What is within our control, however, is how we respond to mental health. Breaking the stigma starts with something simple: talking. Talking to neighbours, to charities, to family. Checking in. Asking twice if someone really is okay.
To every farmer reading this: you are not alone. There is support out that surrounds you, if only we start the conversation.