Australia’s most trusted rural charity has been urgently assisting farmers who are battling increased levels of mental ill-health in recent months.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said primary producers were feeling overworked, underappreciated and anxious.
“In a recent Rural Aid study, one in two farmers said they’ve felt their mental health decline in the past year,” Mr Warlters said.
“Some 76 per cent of our farmers rated their mental health as poor, very poor or average.
“These numbers show that all is not well on the farm.
“It’s a sentiment echoed across the industry; Rabobank’s Rural Confidence Survey has shown farm confidence has plummeted in the past three months.”
Rural Aid’s mental health and wellbeing manager Myf Pitcher said weather conditions, biosecurity concerns and disaster recovery were on farmers’ minds.
“Our counselling team is making a really important difference every day, we’ve been all over the country supporting primary producers,” Ms Pitcher said.
“From hay drops in South Australia, to water tank deliveries in Western Australia and resilience and recovery conversations in Queensland, our mental health and wellbeing team have been working overtime to assist farmers with the challenges they’re currently facing.”
Mr Warlters said the record dry conditions in the south and west of the nation were proving especially difficult for farmers to deal with.
“Rural Aid has organised and executed a support drop of hay, stockfeed or emergency household drinking water at the rate of roughly one per day over the past four weeks.
“But, Rural Aid can’t do any of its vital work without the generosity of the Australian public,” Mr Warlters added.
“With tax time just around the corner, it’s a good time to consider a donation to Rural Aid.
“Thank you to every single person who has dug deep for our mates in the bush in their moment of need.“
* To donate to Rural Aid – or to find out more about Rural Aid’s mental health and wellbeing program – visit www.ruralaid.org.au or call 1300 327 624.
