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All articles about Health and wellbeing

Farmers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing are often pushed to one side as the important tasks of managing a busy arable or livestock farm take over. See ideas to help you keep fit and healthy on the farm and combat rural isolation and stress.

Advice and tips

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Holistic farmer wellbeing health check: How are you really?

Farmers are notorious for spending more time thinking about their livestock, costs and crops than their own happiness and wellbeing. This is perhaps best explained by agriculture’s long history, slight…

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Coronavirus: Advice for managing and keeping staff safe

Farmers may be wondering how to best protect their staff during the coronavirus outbreak. We asked Oliver Dale, managing director at Safety Revolution, and Sophie Walker, business manager at the…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Advice on solving farmer lameness, joint and foot ailments

A hobble is an unwelcome rite of passage for many farmers as they transition from youth to older-middle age, but just as lameness is preventable in livestock so too is…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

8 tips from Doug Avery on being a resilient farmer

Change is happening in agriculture at a rate never seen before, with a wealth of opportunities available for those willing to take them. Doug Avery, author of The Resilient Farmer,…

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Case studies

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Video: Son's death leads family to back mental health charity

The parents of a 22-year-old farmer who took his own life are urging youngsters facing a similar situation to seek help and support. Leonard Eadon, from Napton, in Warwickshire, died…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Britain's Fittest Farmer 2021: 4 strong women's entries

Farmers Weekly's popular health and wellbeing competition, Britain's Fittest Farmer, is attracting entries from across the country.  There's still plenty of time for you to enter the contest if you're…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Fit2Farm: How a better work-life balance benefits farm

Achieving a better work-life balance is top of the list for Britain's farmers – many of whom are working long hours with little time off. The average farmer works 65…

PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS

Video: Exmoor group tackles farm support and rural isolation

The unique and thriving farmer-led Exmoor Hill Farming Network has grown to support 300 local farming businesses since it began four years ago under the guidance of chairman Dave Knight…

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Community

FARMLIFE

Video: Britain's Fittest Farmer 2022 - the qualifiers

Competitors from across the country converged on Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park for the qualifying rounds of Britain’s Fittest Farmer.  The Gloucestershire venue saw almost 60 entrants battle in out…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Britain's Fittest Farmer judge Tom Kemp on how to get fit

Farmer, fitness instructor and Britain’s Fittest Farmer (BFF) judge Tom Kemp gives his advice on how to get fit, both mentally and physically. He says focusing on improving sleep can…

FARMLIFE

Britain's Fittest Farmer female champ set to defend title

Winner of Britain's Fittest Farmer 2021 women's category, 33-year-old Erica Robison, is preparing for the 2022 competition and aiming to hold on to her crown. But she says her main…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

How Britain's Fittest Farmer judge Kelvin Fletcher keeps fit

We drink plenty of cups of tea when we’re farming, but having lots of water is key, too,” says Kelvin Fletcher. Staying hydrated is something the farmer and Strictly Come Dancing winner…

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Insights

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Why poor succession planning can impact mental health

Numerous aspects of farming can negatively impact upon mental health, but the one many might not have drawn a line to is the eternal pressures surrounding succession. Though succession is…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Analysis: The grim state of mental health in agriculture

Women, farmers who keep livestock and those running smaller enterprises are the most likely to be struggling with their mental health, results from the recent Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s (Rabi)…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Drink and drugs misuse - a hidden problem in the countryside

There are few counties more rural than Cumbria, but its rolling hills and green fields are no refuge from addiction and its often terrible consequences. In common with any other…

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News

FARMLIFE

Farmers share their stories for Efra mental health inquiry

A lack of appreciation and respect for farmers is contributing to poor mental health within the industry, research by the Countryside Alliance shows. The campaign group has submitted survey results…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Len Eadon's parents launch mental health initiative

The parents of young farmer Leonard Eadon, who took his own life on 1 January, have launched an initiative to help keep people in the farming community safe. Lynda and…

FARMLIFE

Number of Scots farmers seeking help doubles, charity says

The number of farmers calling a Scottish wellbeing charity helpline has doubled, driven up by the cost-of-living crisis and post-Covid isolation. Scottish farming charity the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution…

FARMLIFE

Cattle auction in memory of young farmer raises £20,000

A cow and calf sold at auction in memory of a young farmer who took his own life have made an astonishing £20,000 that will be donated to the mental…

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Opinion

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Farmers offer their younger selves some pearls of wisdom

The benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing, and everyone makes mistakes. We can all learn from each other, too. With this in mind, Farmers Weekly and rural charity The…

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Video

FARMLIFE

Video: Britain's Fittest Farmer 2022 - the qualifiers

Competitors from across the country converged on Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park for the qualifying rounds of Britain’s Fittest Farmer.  The Gloucestershire venue saw almost 60 entrants battle in out…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Video: Son's death leads family to back mental health charity

The parents of a 22-year-old farmer who took his own life are urging youngsters facing a similar situation to seek help and support. Leonard Eadon, from Napton, in Warwickshire, died…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Video: Britain's Fittest Farmer 2021 - the final

The competition was intense, but two winners have now been crowned in Farmers Weekly's iconic initiative, designed to spark a discussion about mental and physical health in the countryside. Erica…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Video: Farmers open up about mental health

Two farmers have opened up about their battles to overcome mental health issues for a new short film released to highlight Farming Help Awareness Week. Poor mental health remains one…

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