The hidden mental health value brokers can bring Farming is stressful,
often lonely work. Don’t underestimate the value you can bring.
I t’s well known that farming is an incredibly stressful occupation. But beyond the operational complexity of modern farming sits a human reality that is often less visible. On average, one farmer in Australia commits suicide every ten days – a ratio 50% higher than the general population. Research carried out by The National Farmers Federation and Norco, meanwhile, found that almost half of Australian farmers have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, while almost a third have actually attempted to harm themselves or take their own lives. Almost half of farmers have experienced depression, and around 60% have suffered from anxiety. And, while the day-to-day work-based challenges facing farmers aren’t necessarily the same ones regionally-based brokers are faced with, there are many shared challenges facing people living in rural and regional communities, says Brianna Cattanach, National Manager Mental Health at Allianz Australia.
at a community and societal level with people living in rural and regional settings,” she says.
“Of course, layered on top of those are the complex and complicated industry-specific challenges related to the farming industry.”
“For many, the farm isn’t just a business. It’s their identity and their family legacy. That weight sits heavily.”
Those challenges are wide ranging.
Caleb Richards, Practice Leader Agriculture at AgriRisk, says the pressure farmers carry today is broader than it was a generation ago. “When you look at what farmers are managing now, market volatility, regulation, technology, workforce issues, it’s not just operational complexity, it’s personal pressure as well,” he says.
“What we see in the agricultural industry is quite reminiscent of some of the challenges we see more broadly
13 A NIBA Brokers’ Guide: to farming the future
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