Farmers’ mental health is under the spotlight in a new study, as researchers work directly with the farming community to improve support and resilience in an industry where suicide rates remain alarmingly high.
Poor mental health is now one of the most pressing crises facing agriculture. Long and physically demanding hours, the isolation of working in remote areas, and uncertainty around government subsidies are all factors linked to rising stress levels.
Between 2023 and 2024, 31 farmers died by suicide in England and Wales, with a further 29 deaths in the wider agricultural and fishing sector. Farming consistently records one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the UK.
Previous studies have shown stark gender differences: women in agriculture are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, while men are more likely to experience stigma around seeking help and are at greater risk of dying by suicide.
Now, Keele academics Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham and Dr Tamsin Fisher are leading a new study to change this. They aim to map the support mechanisms already available, identify barriers that stop farmers from seeking help, and explore how access to mental healthcare can be improved.
Dr Fisher, a research associate at Keele's School of Medicine, explained: “We know that farmers and agricultural workers are not seeking formal help, particularly from primary care.
"With this study we want to understand more about what help they are seeking, and what mental healthcare looks like to these communities, and how can we support them to seek more appropriate help with their mental health.”
She added that mental ill-health touches almost everyone: “Almost everyone we’ve spoken to in the farming community as part of this research knows someone either personally or professionally that has been affected by mental health conditions like stress, anxiety, or depression, and many who know someone that has died by suicide.”
The project is already engaging with farmers and rural healthcare professionals, such as community nurses, to assess what support exists and how it might be made more effective. Researchers are also calling for more farmers to come forward and share their experiences.
Graham Ashford, regional support officer for the Farming Community Network (FCN) and a co-investigator on the study, said the charity’s mission is to provide practical and emotional support.
"Through the work of FCN we ‘walk with’ people within our farming community, helping them to find a positive way forward through any issues or concerns. We want to see farmers navigate change and thrive, now and in the future.”
The study’s findings are expected to help shape future NHS policy and rural support services, ensuring that farmers and their families can access tailored mental health care that reflects the realities of agricultural life.
