Reach out to a mate this R U Ok? Day

It can be a difficult question, but asking “R U Ok?” can be the first step in helping someone in emotional distress. Today is R U Ok? Day, an opportunity for us to check in with the people in our lives, and to put a spotlight on the conversation around mental health and suicide prevention. 

Now more than ever it is important to check in with our mates and loved ones. In the wake of several lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions and no foreseeable end to the COVID-19 saga, the effects of social isolation are reaching everyone. 

While Australians in rural communities enjoy higher life satisfaction than those in metropolitan areas*, within our communities the people facing mental health challenges can really suffer. Australian suicide rates are 67 per cent higher in rural and regional communities than in capital cities**. While the causes of suicide are complex, in rural areas limited access to mental health services and stigma can be contributing factors.

People who are struggling may feel ashamed of the headspace they are in, and shy away from avenues of support. Taking the first step for them by asking them how they are doing can let them know they are supported, and help them feel safe and seen.

It is important to remember that it is fine to ask “are you ok?” and not know what to say after that. You’re not expected to have all the answers, or to find a solution to the problems they’re facing. Just being there to listen and to help someone feel supported can make a huge difference to their state of mind. If someone is at risk of harming themselves, be prepared to stay with them until you can access crisis support (see links below).

After having a conversation, it may be helpful for you to suggest options for improving mental health. This can be as simple as planning a walk together, suggesting they speak to their GP, or helping them access an online resource to understand and address their situation (there are two free resources available at the end of this blog). It’s also important to follow up on any commitments you make when offering support.

A word from RUOK? Day… 

Life’s ups and downs happen to all of us. Chances are someone you know might be struggling. Your genuine support can make a difference to whatever they are facing, big or small. So, don’t wait until someone’s visibly distressed or in crisis. Make a moment meaningful – ask them how they’re really going and be prepared to listen.

Managing Stress on the Farm

Managing Stress on the Farm is a free downloadable book that aims to help farmers, farming families, and agricultural workers to better understand the stress they may be feeling and take actionable steps to alleviate it. The book can be found here: Managing Stress on the Farm Book | National Centre for Farmer Health

Steering Straight 

Steering Straight aims to help farmers look beyond the endless cycle of tasks and provides guidance on reflection, planning for upcoming challenges, and preparing for action, with a strong focus on wellbeing. Steering Straight will help you to:

• Identify what activities are helpful and keep you feeling positive during tough times
• Achieve future goals, and break them down into manageable steps
• Know who you can call on for support when tackling a goal or a challenge

Steering Straight can be downloaded here: Mental Health 4 Ag | National Centre for Farmer Health

Lines to call if you or your loved one is in crisis:

Emergency: 000 

Lifeline: 13 11 14

MensLine: 1300 78 99 78

Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

Written by the National Centre of Farmer Health for Rural Bank in celebration of RUOK? Day.

References

* https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/book/determinants-health

**https://www.crrmh.com.au/content/uploads/Addendum_Suicide-Prevention-Position-Paper_4-Feb-2021-1.pdf

The next generation of farmers needs your support… for their mental wellbeing.

This topic was discussed as part of our online bonfire on September 8 at 7:30pm, “Supporting the Next Generation of Primary Producers.”

As a child, Sam Marwood dreamed of running his parents’ dairy farm in Central Victoria. But things didn’t turn out the way he planned.

“In grade one I would give up my recess time to draw trucks and tractors, that my mate and I were going to have on our farm”, he told the Beyond the Farmgate podcast.

But one day, as he walked back from the dairy, at the age of 8, he had a conversation with his dad, that has stuck with him for life.

“I looked up and said ‘Dad, when am I going to own the farm?’

“And immediately he laughed at me and said ‘you’re not having the farm… Mum and I are selling. How else are we going to retire and get the money?”

Young Sam threw out those drawings.

“And I knew I would never be a farmer”, he said.

There’s a prevailing notion that to be a farmer you need to have a farm (or at least one waiting for you). And this can put a lot of mental stress and uncertainty on young people wanting to pursue a career in agriculture, especially if succession planning hasn’t been worked out or they know they won’t be inheriting any land.

For young people in general, those early years of study or work can be very stressful. Leaving the known environment of school is often exciting, but it can also be very daunting.

Research from 2019 found mental health concerns among young people are becoming increasingly common, with a 5.5 percent increase over the previous seven years.

And early research on the impact of lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic suggests the problem has worsened for young people, especially in Victoria.

For those carving out a future in agriculture, they might have to deal with the social isolation of working on a farming property, that’s hours away from their friends. It’s therefore especially important for employers to be mindful of creating a positive and respectful workplace culture for them to be a part of.

According to Worksafe’s guide on preventing and managing work related stress, young people regularly experience low job control and low role clarity (even when working on their own family farm), as well as the psychological stress of remote work.

Acknowledging the difficulties, however, shouldn’t take away from the promising opportunities in agriculture. The industry remains strong, with solid export and local markets and there’s been an increase in young people wanting to study agriculture.

Bill Hamill is the Chief Executive of Hamilton’s Rural Industries Skill Training (RIST) which currently has 200 students involved in school-based training right up to university level courses (run in partnership with CQUniveristy).

Bill says RIST was established to combine education, training and research to encourage innovation and attract more young people to the industry.

“Where I see education, where it is going in the future is completely different. If we don’t keep up with how the younger people want to learn, we are going to be left behind,” Bill told the Weekly Times.

From a mental health perspective, formalised training can have many benefits for young people. These include having the confidence to do the job well, receiving up-to-date training, as well as the opportunity to build networks in agriculture with fellow peers and industry leaders.

Also, the reality of learning from your parents, isn’t always rosy. Working relationships with family can mean your Mum or Dad may not always be the best teacher for you. Formal training away from the farm can provide the opportunity to take new skills back to the farm. This includes opportunities to acquire skills and knowledge relating to agricultural production, as well as skills that can contribute to preventing work-related risks to mental health—such as human resource management, decision making and planning.

That’s of course, if you have a farm to go back to.

So, what happened to 8-year-old Sam Marwood?

Well, his parents sold the dairy when he was 17 and Sam went on to work in environmental policy.

For fifteen years, he accepted that he would never be in farming. That was, until he had an idea that’s now breaking down pre-conceptions about farm ownership.

Sam founded Cultivate Farms, a social enterprise which matches the next generation of aspiring farmers with retiring farmers and investors to own and operate a farm together.

“That idea that there are thousands of young people out there who would love to be farmers, but they have this barrier … is what drives me now”, Sam said.

Cultivate Farms has made 17 successful matches in the past three years, helping people who never thought they could own a farm, realise their dream.

“Work on a farm, build your skills, learn how to become the best farmer and while you’re doing that, keep your antenna up to farmers who don’t have kids to hand their farm onto… and also investors,” Sam said.

“So, our pitch to the next generation is that there is hope.”

When it comes to running the farm, investing in mental health initiatives is not only good for your family and staff, but it’s good for business too. The NCFH is supporting farmers just like you to manage and respond to work-related risks that impact on workplace mental health – these are factors in your work that can affect an employee’s mental health and include high job demands, low job control, low role clarity and more. Managing these factors, means decreasing the risk of work-related stress, which can prevent physical injury, mental injury or even both at the same time.

Find out more about being mentally safe on the farm at www.farmerhealth.org.au/campfire.

Farmer Health eNews September 2021

Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Announcing the launch of our Farmer Health Assessment Tool (Farmer HAT)!
• Women’s Health. Powerful Stuff. Find out about our digital storytelling program and how it is empowering rural women this Women’s Heath Week.
• Directors Blog: The most important aspect of a healthy farm is still a healthy farming family. Follow the link to read Sue Brumbys reflection on her time as Founding Director for NCFH.
• Wellness Wednesday

View the September 2021 eNews

Read past issues of eNews

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The most important aspect of a healthy farm is still a healthy farming family

It has been 13 years since the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) first opened its doors in 2008. Based in the agricultural hub of Hamilton, Victoria, the NCFH brought together two organisations focussed on service to rural and regional communities –Western District Health Service and Deakin University, with funding from the Victorian Government and the Helen and Geoff Handbury Trust.

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Farm women and men have long been key contributors to our rural and regional communities –their land and livestock producing the food and fibre that sustains and clothes us. Surprisingly, the number of farmers supporting this vision has remained surprisingly few with around 335,000 people directly employed in agriculture, forestry or fishing representing less than 3% of Australia’s workforce.[i] When the NCFH opened we were well into what became known as the millennium drought, with all of regional Victoria and parts of the nation declared in Exceptional Circumstances[ii].

Apart from challenging climatic conditions, agriculture, forestry and fishing had the unenviable record of a high risk workforce with high numbers of workplace deaths, including bystanders and children[iii].  My own personal experience of both working on farm and in rural health had highlighted to me the disparity of rural people (farming and agricultural workers in particular) to have voice in relation to their health, wellbeing and safety. It also became abundantly clear that to make any difference to farmer health, wellbeing and safety we could not rely solely on health services, and health professionals. To make a difference required a multipronged, cross sectoral and policy driven approach.

Over the 13 years the NCFH has helped and worked with many individual farm men, women and agricultural workers. We have provided thousands of health, wellbeing and safety assessments, detected early cancers, cardiac arrhythmias, mental health problems, respiratory illness, kidney disease and diabetes to name a few. We have undertaken significant research on cardiovascular disease, wellbeing, mental health, suicide, hearing loss, obesity and pesticides in farming communities and supported higher degree by research students.  We have published widely[iv] and worked to translate these findings into new and better ways of working with farming communities. For 13 consecutive years we have taught Australia’s only Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Health and Medicine providing well over 200 health professionals with new skills and knowledge to assist with working in agricultural communities[v].  Our partnerships have been extensive collaborating across sectors of industry and agribusiness and across the nation. We have contributed to policy by participating in numerous reviews, parliamentary inquiries, quad bike standards, advertising standards and Royal Commissions.

Have we made a difference?

I believe so. There are many individual stories outlining the difference NCFH has made to individual and families lives.  Stories telling of farm families getting off farm, making healthier food choices, increasing physical activity, improving safety, following up with medical appointments, changing pesticide use, utilising PPE, purchasing safer equipment and reducing their stress.[vi] Past students report improvements in their engagement with farmers and the insights and deeper understanding of health, wellbeing and safety issues that affect farmers. Pleasingly in 2020, a 39% decrease in fatality rates in agriculture, forestry and fishing since the peak in 2007 was reported by Safework.[vii]   However, there is still much to do.

Whilst droughts, bushfire and floods will continue, the COVID-19 pandemic has further reminded us of the importance and vulnerability of our food supplies as never before has the world relied on so few to produce food and fibre for so many. Addressing and adapting to the impacts of environmental change with sustainable agricultural practices and food systems will require new and improved ways of doing things. Good health, wellbeing and safety of farmers and their families are fundamental to having successful and sustainable farm businesses and to build resilience to address the challenges of climatic, environmental and global change.

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[i] Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011). Labour Force Survey. Canberra, ABS.

[ii] Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry. (2007). The Year in Review 2006-2007. Retrieved December 28, 2010, from http://www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/ec/nrac/nrac_2006-07_annual_report/the_year_in_review

[iii] Safe Work Australia. (2012). Work-related traumatic injury fatalities, Australia 2010-2011. Canberra: Safe  

   Work Australia.

[iv] https://farmerhealth.org.au/category/publications

[v] https://farmerhealth.org.au/education

[vi] https://farmerhealth.org.au/sustainable-farm-families-3/1618-2

[vii] Safe Work Australia (2020). Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities, Australia 2019, Safe Work Australia

Episode 5: “Strengthening your support team: Rural Financial Counselling Service”

In this episode, Malcolm Rowe from the Rural Financial Counselling Service in Western Victoria, and Peter, a primary producer client of RFCS from the Wimmera district discuss how engaging with an RFCS counsellor can help you to reduce financial stress and be more in control of your farm business through timely, evidence-based decision making.

Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and here.

This podcast is part of the Primary Producer Knowledge Network led by the National Centre for Farmer Health to promote mentally healthy workplaces. Campfire, part of the Primary Producer Knowledge Network, was funded by the Victorian State Government’s WorkSafe WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund.

Farmers: you can get financial help, before the situation becomes dire

This topic will be discussed as part of our online bonfire on August 25 at 7:30pm, “Strengthening Your Support Team: Rural Financial Counselling Service.”

Fruit growers have been hit by labour shortages under Covid-19 as well as a rise in several input costs. After a stressful and mentally challenging 2020 citrus harvest, Michael listened to the advice of a friend, who convinced him to talk to a rural financial counsellor. Now, the current harvest season is looking very different and their mental health is back on track.

Agriculture is booming in Australia; cattle prices have skyrocketed, the drought has broken and even the price of wool has picked up. But for citrus growers like Michael, who is based near Mildura, the past two years have been incredibly tough.

While the impact of COVID-19 on agriculture has been relatively minimal for other farming industries, fruit growers have been struck with severe labour shortages as well as a rise in the cost of diesel, fertiliser and packing materials.

Michael would normally have a stream of backpackers to pick oranges at harvest time, and despite the Federal Government’s efforts to bring in Pacific Island workers to help, there’s still not enough pickers to go around.

“Last year, we did our best with the staff we had, but we couldn’t get all the fruit off the trees quick enough, which meant oranges was simply left to rot,” Michael said.

“We ended up making a substantial loss. I’ve been growing fruit for 15 years and while I have broken even a few times before, that’s the first time I’ve ever made a loss.  Seeing the piles of wasted fruit, was just heartbreaking. We were anxious for what the next season would bring, and wondering if we would be able to pull through. Managing the farm and dealing with labour shortages, let alone during a pandemic, took a serious toll on our mental health.” he said.

So, at the start of 2021, when it was becoming clear that Covid-19 was not going away, Michael decided he would take action to prevent some of the stress of the previous year.

“My mate, who is also a grower, said he had spoken to a rural financial counsellor, who helped him with forward budgeting,” he said.

“My initial thought was, no, I don’t need that, I’ve been running a successful business for years before COVID, it’s not for me. But I got over my pride and it’s been the best thing I could have done.”

A local counsellor from the Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria helped Michael and his family to plan ahead, factoring in the increase in input costs, as well as the high likelihood of another harvest labour shortage. They also helped him to apply for government grants.

Ultimately this alleviated much of the stress Michael had been feeling about having a lack of control over his business during the pandemic, as well as the uncertainty over how to make organisational changes in the workplace, to deal with yet another difficult season. Worksafe Victoria has identified these as workplace factors which can contribute to poor mental health – and has more information on ways to improve stress in the workplace here.

Michael says speaking with a rural financial counsellor completely changed his mindset.

“Instead of going into harvest and just hoping for the best, I had a plan. Then I could brief the staff about how we were going to tackle this season with fewer people and how I had structured the daily tasks differently to cope.”

Michael said this also helped reduce the stress his staff were feeling, who were concerned about the impact labour shortages would have on their workload.

“We’re in full harvest swing now. And it’s always a busy time…but I have been able to set achievable targets for the staff and the business as a whole, which has actually helped to increase productivity.”

While Michael says this season certainly won’t be his best year, the business will be able to get through this difficult time, with a small profit.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service is a free, independent and confidential service operating across Victoria (with similar services in other states).

“When you call the RFCS, you’ll get a counsellor who lives and works locally and is a specialist in local conditions,” Wayne Stephen, Senior Business Financial Counsellor at the RFCS said.

Wayne Stephen said the aim is to get the farmer to a better place.

“A better place could be a better asset to liability ratio, a better production system, a better succession plan, a better relationship with banks and creditors, a better relationship with family members, and a better relationship with yourself,” he said.

Michael says he is certainly a lot happier, less stressed and feeling optimistic about the future.

“I can’t control what happens with Covid-19, but I now have control over my business again.”

When it comes to running the family farm, investing in ways of working that support goodmental health is not only good for your family and staff, but it’s good for business too.

The NCFH is supporting farmers just like you to manage and respond to work-related risks that impact on workplace mental health – these are factors in your work that can affect an employee’s mental health and include high job demands, low job control, low role clarity and more. Managing these factors, means decreasing the risk of work-related stress, which can prevent physical injury, mental injury or even both at the same time.

Find out more about being mentally safe on the farm at www.farmerhealth.org.au/campfire.

Succession Planning … don’t let it be the elephant in the room

This topic will be discussed as part of our online bonfire on August 11 at 7:30pm, “Planning for Success(ion).”

It isn’t easy, bringing up the topic of succession, but it’s much harder to work on farm when there’s uncertainty about the future. Melissa and Aaron, had left jobs in Melbourne to come back to the family dairy – but not knowing whether they would one day own the farm, was starting to affect their mental health.

As a farmer, have you ever worked out your hourly rate?

Melissa has…. and the numbers didn’t look very good. She did it to prove a point, to her husband Aaron, that despite the long hours worked on his family’s farm – it mightn’t be worth it.

The couple moved back to the farm in Colac in south-west Victoria from Melbourne four years ago. They like the work and love the lifestyle – but there had never been any certainty over who would own the dairy in the future.

Melissa, 29, said this was making her feel very anxious, especially since having her first child a year ago.  She just wanted some certainty about her family’s future. The lack of communication and avoidance in talking about the decisions and changes to the business that had to be made was causing stress and impacting both Melissa and Aaron’s mental health.

“Aaron and I both left good, well-paying jobs in the city. And we came back to the farm, thinking that there would be a succession plan,” she said.

“Because, if at the end of the day, the dairy was just going to be sold off and split between Aaron and his two siblings – then we would have been much better off staying in Melbourne.”

Melissa was beginning to feel resentful about making such a big move, but as the daughter-in-law, felt uncomfortable about raising the issue with Aaron’s mother.  

Aaron’s father had died unexpectedly two years ago, but again, the issue of ownership was never raised.

“Aaron felt like he couldn’t bring it up with his mother, when she was grieving, which I absolutely understand,” Melissa said.

“But Aaron had really stepped up into the leadership role since his Dad died – managing the team of four and lifting our number of cows from 400 to 600,” she said.

But Melissa said this had never really been acknowledged – they were still earning the same wage they had, when they first came back to the farm. She wanted Aaron’s efforts to be recognised; not just financially, but also by family.

Mike Krause, a succession planner with P2P Agri, says the issue of succession can often be the elephant in the room – no one wants to talk about it, but it affects everything.

He says succession planning is really part of risk management.

“If it’s not handled well the risk could be – we don’t have a business next year,” Mike told the Mallee Sustainable Farming Podcast.

“It is tough but the emotional benefits of having that plan succeed at the end of the tunnel is worth the effort of getting in the tunnel and going through the process.”

Melissa convinced Aaron to start the conversation with his mother and they brought in a facilitator to help them work out the succession.

Melissa said it was the best thing they could have done. It gave everyone the opportunity to participate in the change process as well as practical support throughout.

“Aaron’s Mum didn’t really know how we felt. Aaron’s Dad had looked after the farm and the business and so she felt like she didn’t have all the answers. Bringing in an expert helped to clarify the process for everyone involved, and helped to preserve family relationships”

Succession planner, Isobel Knight says you don’t need to have all the answers to be able to start the process.

“The starting point is where you are today,” she said in the Mentor of the Month podcast by the Future Farmers Network.

“Sometimes people are scared that someone is going to tell them what to do,” she said.

“When really what we’re doing is enabling communication effectively so that families don’t blow themselves up in the first instance, so they can have those difficult conversations.”

For Melissa and Aaron, they now have a management plan as well as a gradual ownership plan, which incorporates financially supporting their mother as well as a Will that leaves an equitable share of the family’s other assets to Aaron’s two siblings (who aren’t interested in working on the farm).

Melissa is feeling much happier and less stressed and anxious about their future, now that she knows what they are working for.

“I’m relieved we have a plan and that everyone in the family is supportive. Having clarity about our respective roles in the day-to-day operations as well as the ‘big picture’ of the family business has given as a fresh perspective. It’s also had such a positive flow-on effect. We’re now a lot more comfortable in having some of these challenging conversations. It’s become part of our routine to meet regularly as a team. We’ve set some new strategies in place for continuing farm business planning and we’ve also set up structures to support our whole team—including our relief milkers. As a family, I feel like we can start making longer-term decisions and planning for our future now, which I’m pleased to say is here, on the farm.”

Worksafe has information on how poor organisational change management and low role clarity can lead to mental health problems and workplace stress. It advises that communication and seeking all parties’ participation in the change process can help ease feelings around a lack of control. When it comes to running the family farm, investing in mental health initiatives is not only good for your family and staff, but it’s good for business too. The NCFH is supporting farmers just like you to manage and respond to work-related risks that impact on workplace mental health – these are factors in your work that can affect an employee’s mental health and include high job demands, low job control, low role clarity and more. Managing these factors, means decreasing the risk of work-related stress, which can prevent physical injury, mental injury or even both at the same time.

Find out more about being mentally safe on the farm at www.farmerhealth.org.au/campfire.

Farmer Health eNews August 2021

Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Steering Straight: My plan to keep on track. Download your plan to help you stay on track during challenging or stressful times.
• Do you spray chemicals from your quadbike? Weigh in on the associated safety issues in our QuadSIS survey.
• How will the findings of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System impact farming communities? 
• Wellness Wednesday

View the August 2021 eNews

Read past issues of eNews

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Self-management of diabetes and associated comorbidities in rural and remote communities: a scoping review

Abstract

Chronic health conditions are more prevalent in rural and remote areas than in metropolitan areas; living in rural and remote areas may present particular barriers to the self-management of chronic conditions like diabetes and comorbidities. The aims of this review were to: (1) synthesise evidence examining the self-management of diabetes and comorbidities among adults living in rural and remote communities; and (2) describe barriers and enablers underpinning self-management reported in studies that met our inclusion criteria. A systematic search of English language papers was undertaken in PsycINFO, Medline Complete, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, searching for literature indexed from the beginning of the database until 6 March 2020. Essential key concepts were diabetes, comorbidities, self-management and rural or remote. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Six of these reported interventions to promote self-management for adults with diabetes in rural and remote communities and described comorbidities. These interventions had mixed results; only three demonstrated improvements in clinical outcomes or health behaviours. All three of these interventions specifically targeted adults living with diabetes and comorbidities in rural and remote areas; two used the same telehealth approach. Barriers to self-management included costs, transport problems and limited health service access. Interventions should take account of the specific challenges of managing both diabetes and comorbidities; telehealth may address some of the barriers associated with living in rural and remote areas.

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Episode 4: “Communication – it’s more than words”

In this episode, John Broons, a family business advisor and coach, and Hugh McDonald, a sheep farmer from SW VIC discuss exactly what we mean by ‘communication’ in farming, some common challenges to healthy communication in production enterprises, and how properly engaging with your family and workers can help to build a happy, healthy workplace.

Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and here.

This podcast is part of the Primary Producer Knowledge Network led by the National Centre for Farmer Health to promote mentally healthy workplaces. Campfire, part of the Primary Producer Knowledge Network, was funded by the Victorian State Government’s WorkSafe WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund.

Communication – it’s more than words… and worth more than you think

This topic will be discussed as part of our online bonfire on July 28 at 7:30pm, “Communication – It’s More Than Words.”

It may be crass to talk about money, but Mitchell* has always planned to be a millionaire farmer by the time he’s 40. And at 29, he’s well on track.

But just last year, he was close to leaving his family’s farm near Wangaratta in north-east Victoria altogether, as his working relationship with his parents had deteriorated and it was starting to affect Mitchell’s mental health and wellbeing.

Growing up, he had a fantastic relationship with his parents. He loved every aspect of looking after their sheep and growing the crops. He enjoyed the physical work as much as the business side of farming.

However,  a few years ago relations with his Mum and Dad became strained after Mitchell pushed them to buy an extra 300 hectares of land from the neighbour.

“Mum and Dad agreed and initially seemed happy about growing the business”, Mitchell said.

“But then they almost seemed resentful and started watching the money like a hawk. And when I would try to talk to them about buying more land, they’d basically shut down, change the subject, or leave the room.” Mitchell didn’t know it at the time, but the financial pressure and increasing levels of debt was making his mum particularly stressed and anxious.

For Mitchell, this was devastating. He knew he was a good farmer, who had studied and understood business. He presented his parents with budgets, plans and even approvals from the bank. But it eventually reached a point where he thought it would be better investing his time slowly building a farm of his own, rather than working with his parents.

What saved the family – and the farm, was sitting down with a family business professional, who helped them create a clear line between the workplace and family relationships. It also enabled the family to understand that stress from workplace conflict was also affecting the functioning and productivity of the family business.

“When you start thinking about each other in a work context, then you quickly realise, that it’s a problem of communication,” Mitchell said.

Poor workplace relationships and poor support in the workplace are two work-related risks to mental health that were impacting Mitchell’s family and their business, and these can both be addressed by improving communication in the workplace.

Worksafe Victoria has information on how poor communication can cause stress and lead to mental health problems, adding to feelings of injustice (such as in Mitchell’s case). It advises managers or members of a family business to ensure there is regular communication, opportunities to raise and address and issues (such as team meetings) and to start a conversation, at the earliest sign of stress, in an open and respectful way.

John Broons is a Family Business specialist and says many farming families avoid talking about the big issues.

“If we just talk about the business and we don’t talk about the family stuff, then we are just putting our heads in the sand and we are not going to be prepared when change occurs within the family that affects the business,” John told Farm Weekly.

“The dynamics of families in business is not just about accounting. The business can be quantified – when there is a discussion about the business we go straight to the numbers – but I can’t tell you the profit or loss of your children, it’s a very different equation,” he said.

Factors which influence our ability to communicate, include:

• Family history
• Communication style
• Self-esteem of individuals 
• The different styles of communication between the generations

Mitchell says he now understands that while he was talking to his parents, he wasn’t effectively communicating and that was causing conflict and poor workplace relationships

“I’ve come to realise that I can be a bit like a bull at a gate when I want to pursue an idea,” he said.

“I also understand where my parents are coming from – I didn’t know before that Mum’s mother was left to retire on nothing because of some bad farm business decisions.”

Mitchell said his parents are also working on their own financial barriers and learning to trust him more.

“And I’m pleased to say I’ve convinced the folks to buy another block of land, ” Mitchell said.

“I know a million bucks is not really worth much if you don’t have your family by your side. So that’s my focus. ”

When it comes to running the family farm, investing in mental health initiatives is not only good for your family and staff, but it’s good for business too. The NCFH is supporting farmers just like you to manage and respond to work-related risks that impact on workplace mental health – these are factors in your work that can affect an employee’s mental health and include high job demands, low job control, poor job support and more. Managing these factors, means decreasing the risk of work-related stress, which can prevent physical injury, mental injury or even both at the same time. Find out more about being mentally safe on the farm at www.farmerhealth.org.au/campfire.