Award winning Northamptonshire farmer on mental health in the profession
Milly Fyfe says pressures on the farming industry and the isolation of the job create mental health pressures on farmers.
An award winning female farmer from Northamptonshire has been speaking to us about farmers mental health.
Milly Fyfe, whose family have a diverse livestock and arable farm in Yelvertoft, has just been named the National Women in Agriculture ambassador of the year.
Just weeks before she was the recipient of the new John Nix Award from the Worshipful Company of Farmers (WCFA) that recognises excellence in rural leadership and business management.
"It can be quite isolating"
Milly tells us she struggled with her mental health after having children, and suffers with chronic pain as well and so wants to speak out about her challenges so others seek help and advice too.
She says the pressures of the job can build up on farmers:
"We do work in isolation and there's a lot of pressure on us, we are trying to navigate lots of different things like climate change, environment, bureaucracy, we seen the various changes within government and it's had a huge impact on us."
"It's often about making sure people know there is help out there."
She says due to efficiencies from machinery, farm work can often be isolating:
"With that, it generally means we work on our own, and when there's factors we can't control like the weather and commodity pricing, you can see how easily and quickly things an spiral out of control.
"Because you rely on your health don't you. And we can't go on sick leave, because we have animals and crops to tend to, and it's a round the clock job."
"It's often about making sure people know there is help out there."
The mum of two, who has fundraised within her local community through crowd funding and via grant giving organisations, is also looking forward to opening an on-farm classroom, ‘The Countryside Kitchen’, on 8 July to help reconnect young people with food, farming and the countryside.
Find out more about services to support farmers and their mental health on the NFU pages here.