Report reveals hidden stress of farming families

Farmers and their families are facing significant stress and mental health issues which often go unreported, according to a new study.

Prepared by Professor Siobhán O’Connor and Dr Anna Donnla O’Hagan of DCU, Farm Family Mental Health is part of the FarmFaMHealth project and was published in partnership with DCU and Research Ireland recently.

It surveyed 397 participants from farming families across Ireland, and gathered data on the prevalence of psychological distress, burnout, and access to mental health supports.

The relationship which farming families have to their work is a complicated one, the report found.

“Being a farm family member is defined by a deeply internalised identity, where the profession, family, and home are inseparable, often described by individuals as ‘the blood that flows through my veins’.

“While family members often function as an ‘invisible workforce’, providing critical physical labour and emotional support for the primary farmer, the lifestyle is marked by a significant juxtaposition between extreme stress and deep satisfaction,” it said.

A number of issues common to farmers across the country can contribute significantly to stress. These include financial worries, burnout from overwork, crop failure, and herd sickness.

Many farmers and their families also work outside the farm, many holding down full-time jobs separate from their farm work, while also doing daily labour to keep the farm running.

Intergenerational conflicts and stress over farm management and farm inheritance are also sources of considerable stress, with either multiple children looking to inherit, or none willing to continue the family business.

However, very little data has been collected on the effect that farm stress has on the wider families of farmers, and supports tend to focus on the wellbeing of the farm operator only.

Professor Siobhán O’Connor, one of the report’s authors, said that many families don’t feel like discussions around farm stress apply to them. “Many of them don’t see themselves as farmers, and so the stressors and issues maybe don’t apply to them.

“They feel like they can’t acknowledge them, and they’re waiting until things have progressed too far to get help. I think that’s the big thing that we want to deal with - that stigma - and to talk about this area and encourage people to go seek help early,” she said.

She also highlighted the importance of engaging with people who seem like they may need help, and not to ignore problems. “Chat with someone if you think they’re struggling, listen to them, and direct them to professional health and look after your own mental health,” she said.

Recommendations

The report makes a number of recommendations to improve conditions for farmers and their families. Targeted supports for farmers and their families was one of the primary supports identified by both those surveyed as part of the report, and stakeholders who were consulted.

Of particular concern was that the supports should form part of existing services and bodies that already form part of the farming community - such as Macra or the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) - rather than being set-up in isolation.

The role which women occupy as part of the farming family was highlighted, as many if not all take up significant amounts of labour both inside and outside the home, but seldom get any recognition.

“Earnings from the farm often go back into the business, while often the women’s off-farm salary pays for family needs, often without her receiving a formal wage for her farm-based or home-based contributions.

“There is also a perception that there is a lack of recognition for women’s roles both on the farm and in the home which can negatively affect their wellbeing and self-concept,” according to the report.

Mental health

An increase in mental health literacy was also identified. As Professor O’Connor mentioned, the danger that many face is not being able to recognise the signs of poor mental health, and so being unable to take any action until after a crisis has been reached.

The report found that 66% of those surveyed had never sought help for mental health, and said that improving people’s ability to recognise when either themselves or one of their families are struggling will allow them to take proactive, rather than reactive steps.

The broader FarmFaMHealth project will be running a number of hybrid training sessions. On Wednesday 29 July, a session was held in the Carrigtwohill Community Centre.

Anyone interested in having a session run in their local area should email matthew.toher@dci.ie.