Growers on the Brink as Mental Health Concerns Mount

Farmers in North Yorkshire are battling a growing health crisis, according to a new report from independent watchdog Healthwatch.

North Yorkshire, one of England’s most rural counties, boasts 6,000 farms and sees 79 per cent of its land used for agriculture, forming the backbone of both the local economy and national food supply. Yet behind their resilience, farmers are facing significant challenges, including mental health struggles, difficulty accessing GPs and hospitals, and a sense of increasing isolation.

The Healthwatch report revealed that 74 per cent of the 220 farmers surveyed were dealing with physical pain, while 42 per cent experienced stress and anxiety, and 31 per cent struggled with sleep problems. Many farmers delay seeking medical treatment due to the demands of their work, long travel distances, and the ongoing stigma associated with mental health.

Speaking from his farm near York, Andrew Sewell, Chairman of York East NFU, described the pressures faced by farmers. Running an arable, dairy and poultry farm with his brother and elderly father, Mr Sewell highlighted the difficulties accessing healthcare in rural areas.

“Living in a rural area, you're obviously a fair way from hospital, you know you're 20 miles from a hospital and that's the same with the doctors as well," he said. "If you ring in a doctor up now, you can't just get access that day, you've got to book an appointment and could be 4 or 5 days before you can see a doctor.”

Mr Sewell also outlined the challenges surrounding mental health support. “Mental health issues, unlike cancer and a broken leg, you know where you're seen fairly quickly, are not seen as a priority,” he explained. “So people go away at home and they sit there worrying or they drink or they'll do whatever they're going to do, until it gets probably too bad. But if you are struggling [with mental health] it's seen as a weakness, so maybe you just don't go.”

Nationally, the picture is equally troubling, with 95 per cent of UK farmers under 40 citing mental health as a major concern. Alarmingly, data from the Samaritans charity shows that suicide rates among farmers remain among the highest of any profession.

Andrew Sewell pointed to the relentless nature of farming life as a major contributing factor: unpredictable weather, political uncertainty, and volatile market forces continue to pile pressure onto those working the land.

Source: GB News