- 7 out of 8 concerned about their wellbeing
- Increased costs of farming, growing workload and reduced incomes most cited causes of stress over last year
- 2 in 5 farmers say their daily workload has grown, with average farmer working 11 hours per day
- FRS will focus on ‘Farm/ Life Balance’ at National Ploughing Championships
Nine out of ten farmers (91%) say their farm stress levels have increased in the last year. This is according to new research undertaken by FRS Farm Services. While 7 out of 8 farmers (87%) say they are concerned about their wellbeing.
A majority of farmers (54%) also acknowledge they are currently experiencing ‘moderate’ or ‘high’ levels of stress when thinking about their farm.
One in every two farmers (51%) admit the increased costs of farming have contributed to their stress levels in the last year. Almost 2 in 5 farmers (38%) said the growing workload on farms had been a source of stress. 3 in 8 (37%) said it was due to the reduced income from farming. 3 out of 10 (30%) due to the increased extreme weather conditions. The same number said it was because they had less opportunity to take a break from the farm. Additionally, 29% said the additional paperwork demands on farmers were one of the causes of their increased stress levels.
FRS Farm Services decided to undertake the survey in response to concerns about the growing levels of stress across Irish farms. A total of 481 farmers took part in the survey. It took place from 28th August to 6th September 2024. FRS Farm Services employs 1,000 people who provide support and relief to more than 2,000 farms across Ireland. They are part of the multimillion social enterprise co-operative, FRS Co-Op.
At the upcoming National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois, FRS Farm Services will be promoting a ‘Focus on Farm/ Life Balance’ as a major part of their stand. They will have talks on the importance of wellbeing and stress reduction aimed at farmers on the first day of the event. This will include breathing and grounding exercises as well as tips on helping farmers to find calmness. Those attending will also be offered the opportunity to speak one on one with wellness expert, Treacy O’Connor. Over the duration of the National Ploughing Championships, FRS Farm Services will be providing handouts which offer guidance for any farmers who are interested in reducing their stress levels and improving their wellbeing.
The survey results also found that more than 2 in 5 farmers (42%) say the average number of hours they work on the farm per day has increased in the last year. The average farmer says they currently work 11 hours per day on the farm, with 36% saying they put in 12 hours or more into their farm on a daily basis.
On average, farmers say they have 3 hours to themselves per day away from work, sleep and meals.
There were also some positive notes within the survey. Although more than 1 in 4 farmers (27%) believe they don’t have a good farm/ life balance, 2 in 3 farmers (68%) say they do have a good balance.
Furthermore 97% of farmers say they experience job satisfaction from working on a farm. 9 out of 10 (90%) would recommend a career in farming to others, despite the stress levels involved.
Speaking about the survey, Colin Donnery, Group CEO of FRS Co-Op said, “This has been a hard year for farmers across Ireland. The challenges have grown and the pressure has increased. Our team members and operatives are working with farmers across the country every day and we’re worried. We can see how much the levels of stress are rising on Irish farms.
“Everyone in the industry knows this but this is one of those issues that can sometimes seem intangible. That was why we organised this survey. We wanted to put some figures together to showcase the extent of these concerns on Irish farms.
“It is also why at the National Ploughing Championships, our FRS stand will be putting a significant focus on Farm/ Life balance. We will have some talks on wellness and stress management. We’ll have an expert available for one on one chats on the first day for anyone who feels they would like to talk to someone. Also, material providing some helpful guidance in the form of a handout is available at our stand.
“We would also encourage any farmers who are feeling pressure and stress to reach out to us or others. There are many resources specially designed for farmers from different organisations aimed at improving health and wellbeing. We all need to be more mindful of what is going on in Irish farming and the pressures our farmers are facing. Stress can be invisible at times, but that doesn’t mean we all shouldn’t be looking out for anyone who may be suffering, no matter how well they try to hide it. As a community we all need to play our part,” Mr. Donnery concluded.
In light of the survey responses, FRS Farm Services is also seeking the farmer most in need of a week’s break from the farm. People are encouraged to nominate any hard working farmers they know who they feel should be given some time off.
The winning farmer will be provided with an FRS farm services operator for a week. This gives them time to themselves and enabling them to take a break from the farm. Anyone interested in nominating themselves, a family member or friend can do so at the FRS Co-Op stand. Find them at Row 18, Stand 389 at the National Ploughing Championships.
Click to see our services: General Farm Labour, Relief Milking, Hoof Care, Freeze Branding and Pregnancy Scanning.
Keep up to date with our latest news on Facebook here.