Lack of control leading to low morale in farming, warns Cambridgeshire farmer
The National Farmers' Union has warned of food shortages due to drought
A farmer near Ramsey has said not being able to have full control over business can lead to more farmers struggling with their mental health.
The Farm Safety Foundation says the mental wellbeing of farmers is at a four-year low, with 95% of farmers under 40-years-old believing that mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today.
While the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned there could be food shortages because of long spells of hot, dry weather.
"When your whole life depends on one industry and one job, you can see why you get a bit stressed that your house could disappear overnight because of one harvest and things that are out of your control," farmer Luke Abblitt said.
"There are a lot of mental health charities that are out there to help people who feel like this."
Weather playing part in low morale - farmer
Some of the reasons for low morale in farming include working in isolation, financial pressure and not being able to get away from work easily, according to the Farm Safety Foundation.
It comes as the NFU wants better access to water for farmers in order to help with food production after drought was declared by the Environment Agency.
Luke - who farms around 400 acres of land owned by Cambridgeshire County Council - produces the likes of potatoes, wheat, sugar beet and barley.
He believes mental health issues in farming are becoming more common.
"I think if anyone who's a farmer that says they've never suffered with any mental health issue, they're lying; you can't go through the stress you do without having some kind of issue," he said.
"We're seeing a lot more adverse weather over the last three, four years that is becoming more of a pattern so we're having wetter winters and drier summers, which is affecting yields and how we farm."
Teamwork
Luke has spoken to more than 1,500 schoolchildren about how British farming works and where food comes from as part of being an NFU Education farmers for schools ambassador.
He also uses social media to help do this, too, which also has a benefit for his own mental health, as well as working alongside his wife.
"I like doing videos about what we do on the farm and that gives you a different perspective because when you try to explain it to someone else, you unlock stuff in your brain and think 'that's not as stressful as I first thought,' Luke added.
"A lot of us think because we are top of the tree, we need to make the decisions, but when you've got someone else there you're batting ideas across to and is fully invested with you, it makes life 10 times easier."
If you are struggling with mental health, these are some of the places you can find help: