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As the old saying goes, it never rains, but it pours. For the farming community, this is not only the case metaphorically, but also literally.
The winter’s torrential rain across the country was described in some quarters as ‘biblical’ and left a significant amount of British farmland under water. Many farmers were unable to finish harvesting crops and many experienced significant delays in drilling and sowing winter cereals. Meanwhile livestock farmers were forced to bring in livestock earlier than normal, which means higher costs for feed and bedding. Then spring arrived - with barely any rain for weeks.
And now, we have the Coronavirus pandemic - restrictions have forced sudden drastic changes in demand, price collapses, difficulties in picking seasonal crops - the list goes on. For some people in the agricultural industry, facing these changes may be too much to bear.
In times like these, it is more important than ever that farmers build their personal and business resilience. As The Farming Community Network (FCN) enters its 25th year in 2020, we have evolved from merely responding to farmers in crisis into an organisation which offers a much more proactive support service that actively encourages farmers to seek help before their situation worsens significantly.
We now plan to be even more focussed on helping to build personal and business resilience in those that turn to us for help.
There is some great information available to help farmers become more resilient, but this information is rarely in one place and can often be difficult to access, especially if you are dealing with reduced mental wellbeing.
This is why we have launched a new initiative called FarmWell - a one-stop online resources hub to help farmers and their businesses stay strong and resilient. FarmWell gives ready access to a range of vital information from a wide variety of sources. It is free to use and has three clear aims:
- To help develop and keep farm businesses resilient through changing times
- To help farmers, their families and their staff become resilient and enable them to manage their personal and business lives more effectively
- To provide ready access to a range of support and help to anyone who may need it
FarmWell is available to use now and is already attracting interest from a wide variety of key agricultural stakeholders, including the NFU and AHDB. To learn more about FarmWell, visit www.farmwell.org.uk.
FCN continues to support the farming community - from BSE to bereavement, foot and mouth to family disputes, TB to tenancy issues, retirement to relationship problems, passports to BPS payments, illness to isolation, we offer support and signposting, whatever the issue.
In Devon we have around 100 new cases and are involved in 200 ongoing cases each year.
The first part of this year saw a 30% rise in calls for help. Our team of around 30 volunteers provide all sorts of support, from visiting farmers and signposting to befriending, for as long as needed.
We are a Christian charity set to help those of any faith or none. Our support is free and confidential and you can contact our helpline every day of the year from 7am until 11pm.
Over one third of our cases involve an aspect of mental health and this continues to be one of our focus areas – encouraging people to talk about how they are really feeling.
Along with some of Devon YFC members, we have been trained to deliver mental health awareness sessions. We have now visited nearly every club in Devon. The stigma around mental health is definitely changing with many request coming from farm groups and organisations for talks about mental health awareness.
On average, one farmer in the UK dies by suicide every week and this needs to be addressed – it can only be achieved by a willingness to talk.
Farmers are very resilient and adaptable, but not all have family or friends around them to offer support and that is where we can help.
Another growing area of concern for the farming community is dementia and we continue to work with researchers at Plymouth University to understand what help is required and what we can do to help.
We work closely with other farm charities to offer the best support we can to those in need.
This year we hope to offer a new service in partnership with Devon Carers offering a service to carers, allowing them a break to have some time to care for themselves.
We expect the next few years to bring a big increase in calls for help - once the current pandemic subsides, there will be Brexit, red tape, concerns over methane and vegan activists, climate change and extremes of weather.
FCN will continue to support farmers in need and at a national level, inform those making policies what their effect will be on farmers.
If you, or someone you know needs someone to talk to, FCN is here for you. The FCN helpline is open from 7am-11pm every day of the year. Call 03000 111999 or email help@fcn.org.uk
Emily Sizmur
Farming Community Network