Isolation a cause for concern

“Farming can be an isolating occupation, and not just in the geographical sense of people working remotely,” says Farmstrong programme lead Gerard Vaughan.

“When you’re feeling ‘under the pump’, it’s important to be able to connect with people you trust and talk things through.”

Vaughan told Rural News that the industry’s isolated nature is why Farmstrong encourages farmers to get off farm regularly and check in with those who might have ‘fallen off the radar’.

Mental health helpline Lifeline says isolation and loneliness have become a nationwide issue since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lifeline operations manager Helena de Fontenay says there has been a 20% jump in calls to the helpline, averaging 10,000 calls a month.

“Loneliness and isolation account for the biggest reason people make calls to Lifeline. Everyone needs to feel connected, but reconnecting is still tricky due to Covid-19. We’re still not back to normal,” she says.

De Fontenay says one thing people can do to combat isolation is to get out and about.

“Connection doesn’t always have to be about other people. It could also be connecting with yourself by unplugging from things that aren’t important like social media, and reconnecting with yourself to find a greater sense of balance.”

Another issue driving mental wellbeing struggles on-farm, Vaughan says, is burnout.

“Farming shares the same pressures as other results-driven industries, but farming is unique in that people live where they work.”

says, farm work is never really done and while taking breaks getting off farm can make a difference, it’s something that can slip down the priority list.

“The past few years have been challenging for everyone, including farmers and growers. Covidrelated labour shortages have meant longer hours and more stress and some parts of the country have also been badly hit by extreme weather events,” he says.

“On top of that, iconic events on the rural calendar, such as Golden Shears… have been cancelled, restricting people’s opportunities to get off farm and catch up with friends and neighbours.”

Farmstrong will be rolling out a series of comedy shows for Canterbury rural communities this month in an effort to give farmers and their families a fun night out.