Farminguk Magazine August 2019
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FaIssuer 94 m august 2019inguk HOW ARE YOU FEELING? BORIS JOHNSON’S STANCES ON FARMING AND RURAL ISSUES THERESA VILLIERS APPOINTED NEW DEFRA SECRETARY FARMINGUK - THE UK SITE FOR AGRICULTURE CONTENTS 04 HOW ARE YOU FEELING? 22 FARMERS 'DO NOT RECOGNISE BREXIT THREAT', EXPERT SAYS 12 THERESA VILLIERS APPOINTED 24 BEEF CRISIS: FARMING UNIONS NEW DEFRA SECRETARY OUTLINE URGENT MEASURES 14 FARMERS TELL NEW PM 'PICTURE IS 26 BREXIT: MASS SLAUGHTER OF SHEEP BLEAK FOR SHEEP FARMING' 'DISASTROUS' FOR FARMERS 16 BORIS JOHNSON'S STANCES ON 30 SWINE FEVER OUTBREAK COULD FARMING AND RURAL ISSUES COST UK £85M 20 FARMERS TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC TO EAT 32 RURAL CRIME HITS £50M AS BRAZEN MORE BRITISH LAMB CRIMINALS TARGET FARMERS 04 HOW ARE YOU FEELING? ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES PO Box 75, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 3WF KEITH WILD - Tel: 01484 400666 email: [email protected] MARK KILBURN - Tel: 01484 400666 email: [email protected] RICHARD JOWITT - Tel: 01484 400666 email: [email protected] /farminguk @farminguk AUGUST 2019 3 The pressures that farmers and their families find themselves under, involve many farming specific issues, including the financial pressures of running a business, the bureaucracy of farm inspections, geographical isolation on farms and the long working hours of the job. With mental health thankfully becoming less of a taboo subject – it should be just as normal to ask after someone’s their state of mind as their painful knee. Workplace wellbeing is now on the agenda of many companies but is it for farmers? 4 WWW.FARMINGUK.COM How are you feeling? The article by the Farming Community hard – dealing with high feed costs and low Network, gave worrying statistics on the egg prices, on top of other worries - is suicide rate in farmers as well as signals of undoubtably affecting their mental health. poor mental health to look out for. Campaigns by the NFU, the Farm Safety Down on the farm Foundation and others, aim to break down Stress, depression or anxiety are the leading the barriers to talking about mental wellbeing causes of work-related ill health across Great within the agricultural community. For free Britain and a major challenge for all range egg producers, times are undeniably industries, including agriculture. Farming is a AUGUST 2019 5 The Royal Scotland Agricultural The Farming Community Network Benevolent Institution provides comprises about 400 volunteers across emotional, practical and financial England and Wales who operate a support in times of need. confidential helpline (03000 111 999) and e-helpline ([email protected]) daily Emotional support is available through a from 7am- 11pm. daily helpline (0300 111 4166), case officers and volunteers, all of whom are As farmers, or people with close links to mental health first aid trained. A call out farmers, the volunteers have a great service for the lonely and vulnerable is understanding of the issues facing those also available as is practical support. who make contact and are on hand to listen and provide a sympathetic ear to Financial support can be monthly anyone who needs help. They also payments or single grants for essential provide free pastoral and practical items. Business costs will be considered support, regardless of whether the issue to help overcome a short term crisis. is personal, business or family-related. They will "walk with" anyone who seeks support and help them find a positive way through their problems for as long as it is needed. sector, which can be extremely rewarding but pressure, but I also want to acknowledge the also comes with huge pressures, isolation and wives, mothers, fathers, children and partners demands, on a daily basis. In fact, agriculture that do so much for the farms as well.” carries the highest rate of suicide above any other occupation. Farming is a lifestyle not a Industry worries job, it requires self-reliance and is subject to Robert Gooch, CEO of the British Free Range constant change and uncertainty. Egg Producer’s Association (BFREPA), explained why and how organisation is The pressures that farmers and their families addressing concerns about mental health in find themselves under, involve many farming the industry. “Business failure or stress is one specific issues, including the financial pressures of the most common causes of a of running a business, the bureaucracy of deterioration in mental health, and so it is farm inspections, geographical isolation on perhaps not surprising to find out that an farms and the long working hours of the job. increasing number of BFREPA members are Many farmers have told their stories because sufferers. For some time BFREPA has been they want to let other people know that warning about the downturn in free range they’re not alone if they are struggling. One egg margins as a result of oversupply, but this explained, “Farmers are under immense is no comfort to members affected when the 6 WWW.FARMINGUK.COM The Addington Fund was established to RABI helps farming people on low help farmers in severe financial difficulty incomes and with few savings. The team during the 2001 foot and mouth talks in confidence, giving tailored outbreak. Since then, it has been on support and advice. Whether it is a hand to help out as and when national farmer, farm manager or farmworker, and regional disasters have occurred in who is working, retired or unable to the UK by offering grants for feed and work due to an illness or disability, or a forage to those affected. dependant, RABI may be able to assist. Since then the Addington Fund has Examples include grants for domestic concentrated on providing strategically costs, funding for disability equipment, placed retirement homes for farmers essential furniture and white goods, and and affordable housing to keep young care home topup fees. The charity can families in their chosen rural location. also check state benefits entitlement and may fund a relief farmworker if a A young entrants scheme is now being farmer is unable to work due to illness, set up to give young people the an initial business review or training to opportunity to farm in their own right. bring in off-farm income. Visit www.addingtonfund.org.uk for more information or to donate. Go to www.rabi.org.uk or call 0808 281 9490 for more. downturn actually happens. salmonella, that have closed down a farm or a whole business. We are currently dealing with It is only by communicating with members, two cases where the business owner or his over their contracts and their ongoing wife, is suffering from mental illness. One difficulties with packers and suppliers, that suspects that mental illnesses would also not BFREPA has become aware of the large have been uncommon during the highly number that are suffering from depression. In pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in the some cases, the BFREPA member, or his or her past, when producers had to watch their spouse, have had a complete mental flocks being culled and their farms taken over breakdown and are having difficulties just by strangers in white suits. getting up in the morning; dealing with the financial demands that have caused the Whatever the cause of the mental illness, mental illness is completely beyond them. members are encouraged to let BFREPA know about their difficulties so that it can intervene While financial stress seems to be the most with packers or suppliers who may be significant cause of mental illness at the applying too much pressure when chasing for moment, BFREPA is also finding cases money. BFREPA will act (confidentially) to resulting from disease incidences, such as help members who are being treated harshly AUGUST 2019 7 and without compassion - naming and project. shaming those packers or suppliers acting Be Safe unethically. We are here to help.” Have a culture of safety around your business, staff and family. Make sure you have the right Mind Your Head insurance, as well as backup plans and The charity Farm Safety federation, set up by contingencies in place for difficult times. NFU, is involved in education, engagement, Through national campaigns such as Farm Rest and Take Notice Safety Week, Yellow Wellies -Who Would Fill Pay attention to the simple things or just be Your Boots? and Mind Your Head, the Farm ‘in the moment’. Ensure you have holidays Safety Foundation is tackling the stigma and plenty of sleep. around risk-taking, ensuring that that next generation of farmers is resilient and Be Active and Eat Well equipped with smart strategies and specific Good nutrition helps the body to regenerate. skills to live well and farm well. This aim And make a choice to walk or cycle, rather includes addressing mental health. The than jumping in a vehicle – as regular exercise independent charity has encouraged others is known to improve mental health. to share their stories of the mental health issues they’ve faced and how they overcame Working on these five elements will help them. This month The Ranger has included a people to stay healthy and happy. Hopefully leaflet from the Farming Community Network providing the mental resilience to deal with (FCN) in the magazine and has made a life’s challenges. This is the theme of Doug donation to the charity. Avery’s book ‘The Resilient Farmer’, where he talks about structing farm businesses around Wellbeing the three pillars of financial, environmental In 2016 Aarun Naik completed a Nuffield and social resilience. The social pillar is about Farming Scholarship on ‘Supporting Farmer building relationships and connections, Wellbeing’. As well as discussing the seeking support through mentorship and importance of raising awareness of mental learning strategies to manage one’s own health and support networks - he also talked emotional resilience.