Farming is mentally, emotionally, and physically challenging. With constant social, environmental, and economic concerns, add in the implications of rules and regulations, the pandemic, safety and welfare of people and animals, and it’s no wonder why an individual may feel stressed, anxious, or depressed.
Mental health affects us all, whether it be directly or through others, and with winter around the corner, we are conscious of the potential additional impact on people’s mental health, and perhaps in a timely manner, RABI are too. Focusing on the mental and physical wellbeing of the farming community, RABI have recently revealed their Big Farming Survey results. The report has highlighted some areas in which the farming community could really do with some help and support.
The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s (RABI) Big Farming Survey report
RABI are a national charity that provides local support to the farming community across England and Wales. To serve the farming community effectively, they wanted a greater understanding of people’s physical and mental wellbeing as they face increasingly complex challenges within the agricultural sector.
After launching their largest ever research project, working in partnership with the Centre for Rural Policy Research at the University of Exeter, and receiving a huge uptake, their survey has now been published (October 2021)*. The Big Farming Survey provides a comprehensive level of data, offering a great insight into the health and wellbeing of the farming community during 2020 and 2021.
Being a well-known nationwide farming charity, and one that we have worked with very closely, we want to share RABI’s findings with our farming communities and provide information and advice on a few of the key points the Big Farming Survey raised.
45% of farmers cited regulation, compliance and inspection as a cause of stress
With RABI’s recent Big Farming Survey finding that regulation, compliance and inspection caused stress to 45% of farmers surveyed, it is clear that farming businesses need more support with managing such things, like the duty of care towards themselves, their employees and members of the public, their business premises and their undertakings.
It is important to remember that there is support out there to help you deal with every aspect of running your business, including compliance, regulation and Health & Safety. At McClarrons, we can help provide advice and support around all aspects of farming businesses, to help prevent accidents and claims from occurring wherever possible.
For this year’s Farm Safety Week, we looked at how the top 3 kinds of fatal accidents across all industries can be reduced and shared some useful safety guidance with our farming clients.
You can read our ‘Farm Safety Tips – how to keep your farm, you and your workers safe’ blog here.
We have also seen many reports in the national news about increasing criminal activity on farms over the past year and a half. This, obviously, is another concern for rural businesses, with stolen equipment not only causing concerns and worry around security but potentially stalling farming operations, which could lead to more problems down the line. To help, we outlined some of the things our farming community can do to keep their farm and equipment secure.
For help keeping your farm secure, you can read our blog ‘Farm Security – 6 Simple tips for keeping your farm secure’.
As well as us, our partners – Safety Revolution – who really understand the specific health and safety requirements needed for farms, estates and agricultural businesses, can help protect your business long into the future and support you in creating a safer working environment for your staff, visitors and the general public. And this doesn’t always have to come at a cost. Safety Revolution offer free access to their innovative app, MeritAgCheck, designed for recording vehicle and equipment checks to help you keep on top of inspections, establish safer practices around machinery use and help you fulfil legal LOLER and PUWER requirements. With the right tools and advice in place, some of the stress and concerns that naturally come with running your farming business can be reduced.
Find out more about Safety Revolution, the leading specialists in health and safety and risk reduction for rural businesses.
36% of farmers are experiencing some form of depression or anxiety
RABI’s Big Farming Survey has found that there are low levels of mental health and wellbeing within the farming community. As the report shows, mental health in the farming sector is an increasing concern, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic when there was extra pressure on farmers as they took on the role of key workers, ensuring the nation was supplied with key ingredients.
Last year, with the aim of providing the tools and support needed to maintain positive mental health, RABI announced their partnership with Kooth PLC**. Kooth PLC provide online resources hubs to support mental wellbeing. A trusted name, Kooth has been the NHS’ provider in online mental health support for 15 years.
RABI spoke to farming people across the country, who all reiterated the importance of mental health and the RABI’s new online mental wellbeing service.
Providing a new online mental wellbeing service for farming people, the new partnership gives the farming community free access, all year long, to two tailored services: Kooth, for young people aged 11 to 17, and Qwell, for those aged 18+. Kooth’s team of experienced counsellors, who are trained in different counselling approaches and BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) accredited, understand the issues and difficulties the farming industry faces. They are available Monday to Friday from 12pm-10pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 6pm-10pm.
Find out more about the drop in and pre-booked sessions available to you here.
As we know, winter can have a negative effect on mental health too, so let us help you as we approach the end of autumn. It can become more challenging to maintain the upkeep of your farm or smallholding as the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable and the days get shorter. So, put your mind at ease and read our blog on some of the simple things to help you keep on top of things as the temperature drops.
Read: ‘8 tips to ensure your smallholding is protected this winter’
Not only do we offer tips and advice, but we also offer access to products like Equipsme – a flexible health insurance plan for businesses. So, if you do need support through a particularly challenging time, Equipsme provides 24/7 GP access, stress support and physio sessions, amongst other benefits.
You can find out more about Equipsme here.
Naturally, we are also always happy to discuss any concerns you may have about your insurance protection and protecting your buildings, machinery and animals through winter. You can speak to our Farm Team on 01653 609152.
59% of farmers think that their farming business is viable over the next five years
And so they should. By conducting the RABI Big Farming Survey, they have identified that farmers need help through reassurance, information, and being provided with tools to plan for the future. The Big Survey report quotes: “Involving farming people in developing solutions has to be the start, whether designing services, identifying priorities for campaigns and influencing, or setting out practical solutions.”
We are here to provide your business with the advice you need to protect it into the future. We can help you consider your risks, the steps to take to reduce these and how best to protect not only your business, but your livelihood. With the right advice, and claims management support should the worst happen, you can have peace of mind around your protection.
We are also the preferred insurance provider for Social Farms & Gardens so whether you’re a typical farm, have diversified, are a city farm, care farm, or anything in between, we have a dedicated team who understand your work and can discuss your specific activities and requirements to provide a policy tailored to your needs.
As the year end slowly approaches, we hope we’ll see the back of some of the concerns brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, and hope that 2022 will bring many positive opportunities to the farming trade. As we return to some form of normality, we can imagine many within the farming community will be looking to host a variety of programmes and events open to the public again. If you are planning an event, it is important that you have the right precautions in place to minimise any potential risks.
Read our guidance for managing risk at farms welcoming visitors, and watch the video we produced for Social Farms & Gardens members, offering advice on what to look out for and consider when arranging events here. Although the content does focus on community and care farms, most of the precautions apply to other types of farms events too.
How McClarrons can help you
At McClarrons, it is our job to ensure you have the right insurance in place should the worst happen. With over 30 years’ experience working in the agricultural sector, we can arrange bespoke insurance for your specific activities, property and priorities but we don’t stop there, we’re here to support and assist our clients throughout the year. With a network of partners who are specialists within the farming sector, we will utilise and draw upon their expertise to offer you the support you need.
For a free review of your current farm insurances, or if you’d just like some advice, please contact our dedicated Farm Team on 01653 609152 or at farm@mcclarroninsurance.com.
SOURCES:
*https://rabi.org.uk/rabi-launches-big-farming-survey-results/
