“For many, the farm isn’t just a business. It’s their identity and their family legacy. That weight sits heavily.”
There is no insurance policy for mental health, the best way to manage it is through connection and activity.
The challenge, however, is that many of these stressors go unacknowledged, so that weight remains unshared.
“That makes the relationship much more personal, and much more important.” Supporting regional and rural farmers For brokers, understanding the day-to-day of the farm and identifying where you can ease some of the strain is important, because in regional areas the client-broker relationship is often different.
“So check in with them, make sure things are going okay, empathise with the experiences they’re having – it all matters.”
“In regional communities, the broker is often part of the ecosystem around the farm,” Richards says.
Separating the farmer from the individual As a broker, it’s vital to understand the people you’re working with – both professionally and personally. And, when it comes to farming, those two elements are so heavily intertwined they’re often indistinguishable. “We have to recognise that in farming, the business is so closely intertwined with the personal situation,” says Cattanach. “There isn’t that delineation we see in other industries. Added on top of that is loneliness and isolation, feeling like they have limited access to support and care, and some of the stigma that still exists within the industry around talking about mental health and wellbeing. “Then, there is also this element that a lot of Australian farm workers report feeling undervalued and misunderstood by the Australian community at large. So, from their perspective, there is a real disconnect between what their experiences are and that broader understanding.”
“They might be one of the few regular professional touchpoints a farmer has. That puts brokers in a unique position — not as counsellors, but as trusted contacts who can recognise when someone might need support.”
Cattanach says it’s important not to underestimate the role you play as a broker.
“You might actually be making up part of that person’s community, and the contact they have with you on an ongoing basis could be incredibly important for them as a person, as well as a farmer. “So check in with them, make sure things are going okay, empathise with the experiences they’re having – it all matters.” Understanding the factors affecting farmers is essential for your credibility, while understanding the local landscape from a ‘help’ perspective is key too. Because, it’s one thing acknowledging you need help, but another getting help. And brokers can play an important role here, too.
The impact is significant.
The research from the National Farmers Federation and Norco found that almost three quarters of farmers had suffered some form of burnout in the past five years, which speaks to the manual, physical, unpredictable, and often dangerous nature of their work. That near-75% figure of farmers suffering burnout is significantly higher than the general workforce. Research from Allianz Australia found that figure across all sectors to be 60% – demonstrating the additional stress borne by the farming community.
“You’re not there to solve personal challenges, but you can notice when someone’s under pressure and encourage them to access the right support.”
Cattanach says, “We know within regional communities, access is a huge barrier to proactive support and crisis management when people are really struggling – a big part of that is that we just don’t have enough professionals working in mental health roles out in our remote and regional communities.
The need for tailored help, advice, and support is real – and brokers have an incredibly important role to play.
Richards says, “You’re not just talking about machinery or crops. You’re often talking about someone’s livelihood, their family and their future,” he says.
14 A NIBA Brokers’ Guide: to farming the future
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