Farmers’ poor mental health is industry’s ‘biggest hidden problem’
Long hours are nothing new to those working in the farming industry, but poor mental health is the “biggest hidden problem” in the industry, a new survey has found.
Rural charity Farm Safety Foundation revealed that poor mental health among farmers and agricultural workers continues to be a major concern.
In a sample of more than 750 farmers, nine out of 10 respondents (91 per cent) agreed that poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing the industry today.
The charity, also known as Yellow Wellies, says known pressures on farmers - including traditional farm stressors, contextual stressors and barriers to support, coupled with the impact of measures announced in the autumn budget - are leading to increased levels of stress and uncertainty in the farming community.
Caithness farmers recently gathered at John O’Groats to protest at Labour’s plans on inheritance tax, with one farmer saying: “We’ve had a few depressions in farming and this one is going to take a couple of years before it really starts to bite.
“In Caithness we’re worse than being an island, with transport costs and distance. The nearest abattoir is at Dingwall and an awful lot of what we sell here is going down to the Borders. All these things are mounting up.”
The protest was part of UK-wide action to express frustration and concern at the new wave of tax measures being introduced in April 2026, which it is claimed are increasing levels of uncertainty and anxiety and adding serious concerns about the future for the industry and food production.
The charity’s research showed that, on average, farmers worked longer hours in 2024 than they did in 2023. The average number of hours a full-time worker in the UK works per week is 36.4 hours, while UK farmers work an average of 60 hours a week with 44 per cent of those aged between 41 and 60 years working more than 81 hours a week.
This week, the Farm Safety Foundation is running its eighth annual Mind Your Head campaign. The campaign will continue to raise awareness of the challenges facing the UK’s farming industry, break down the stigma attached to poor mental health, and sow the seeds of wellbeing and resilience in the sector.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “Farming has always been one of the most demanding industries, but the added strain of long hours, rural isolation and financial insecurity is putting farmers at risk.
“For us to change the cultural reluctance to discuss mental health, we need to listen and learn what farmers are feeling, what their attitudes are and what they are doing to address it themselves.”
A series of roundtable discussions are taking place across the UK in 2025, with one at Carnoustie recently where members of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs gathered to discuss these challenges ahead of the campaign launch.
Prince William joined the conversation and asked the young farmers what they do to look after their wellbeing.
Alistair McCarthy (22), who is originally from Caithness but now splits his time between home and a livestock farm near Glamis in Perthshire, told him: “It’s easy to be your own critic, but you need to look for the light ahead.”
Stephanie added: “It was an absolute honour to have His Royal Highness join our roundtable. We are a small charity and have been running this campaign for eight years now so, to have such a high-profile guest interested in what we are doing gives the issue greater visibility.”
For more information on the Mind Your Head campaign visit www.yellowwellies.org or follow them on social media - @yellowwelliesUK on Facebook, Instagram and X using the hashtag #MindYourHead.
