2019-09-20: Visitors to have a field day at Elmore – Mirage News
Visit us at the 2019 Elmore Field Days!
A range of information as diverse as the industry it represents will be available inside our marquee this year at the Elmore Field Days.
Interactive displays and “TENT Talks” will offer visitors the chance to gain the latest information about farming and rural life.
Grain growers will have the opportunity to talk about agronomy and crop diseases with Agriculture Victoria’s Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Boyd and members of the grains team.
Land health, irrigation extension, the new Internet of Things project, biosecurity and livestock electronic identification displays will also form part of the extensive display.
Ongoing dry seasonal conditions support and information will be backed up by free farmer health checks with a team of agri-health professionals from the National Centre for Farmer Health offering field day goers an opportunity to check on their number one asset – their health.
Featuring daily in the “TENT Talks” this year will be:
- Dale Boyd, Seasonal Risk Agronomist who will give an overview of Victoria’s soil moisture conditions and a review of the season.
- Tracy Hatherell from the National Centre for Farmer Health who will present on “Living Longer on the Land”.
- Joanna Gangemi, Communications Officer Integrity Systems Company who will deliver an overview of the Integrity Systems Company and using the NLIS database.
- Mark Sloan, Industry Technology Officer with Agriculture Victoria who will discuss the on-farm IoT trial.
- Rebecca Thompson, project officer with DELWP will provide information on the water market watch app and water market transparency.
While he won’t be there in person, Agriculture Victoria Seasonal Risk Agronomist and star of ‘The Break’ Dale Grey will give a virtual presentation with the latest climate update for the region.
The Agriculture Victoria tent is playing host to a number of other groups, including the Department of Environment, Water and Planning (DELWP), the Murray Darling Basin Authority, Minerals Development Victoria, the National Centre for Farmer Health, Coliban Water and the Goulburn Murray Queensland Fruit Fly project.
Agriculture Victoria staff will also be participating in other events at the Elmore Field Days, including Dr Rob Suter who will speak on lameness in sheep at 11 am each day at the site’s shearing shed for the Campaspe Lamb Producers Group.
The Agriculture Victoria display can be found at site #349, corner of 2nd Aveue and Bonn Drive.
View article here: 2019-09-20: Visitors to have a field day at Elmore – Mirage News
Measure to manage: Using cholinesterase assessment to monitor agrichemical exposure in Victorian farmers
Aim: As an occupation, farming is not one that regularly monitors blood cholinesterase (ChE) compared to other occupations such as commercial agrichemical handlers and manufacturers regularly exposed to anticholinesterase chemicals. This study aimed to improve farmer awareness of ChE monitoring, validate accurate assessment in-field, and provide farming and agricultural workers with a link between their ChE activity and their agrichemical use.
2019-09-19: Coping with stress on the farm – South Gippsland Sentinel Times
Woolamai dairy farmer Paul Kent stopped by the National Centre for Farmer Health stall at last week’s Dairy Expo for a free health check, chatting to nurse Jeanne Dekker about helpful stress-management strategies.
By Kirra Grimes
THE importance of social connection for wellbeing was highlighted at the Dairy Expo in Korumburra last week, with farmers urged to make time to switch off from work and catch up with a friend or loved one as a priority.
The National Centre for Farmer Health was on site at the Expo providing free health checks last Wednesday and Thursday, with agrihealth professional, registered nurse, and dairy farmer of 20 years Jeanne Dekker emphasising stress management as one of the keys to a long, healthy life, right up there with diet and exercise.
Regularly facing challenging circumstances beyond their control – from milk price fluctuations to unfavourable seasonal conditions – farmers are particularly vulnerable to prolonged stress, Jeanne said, which can have wide reaching impacts on health and wellbeing – from driving up blood pressure to increased risk of depression.
“Having that work-life balance and focusing on the things you can influence are really important, because when we’re overwhelmed with stress, that’s when accidents happen,” Jeanne said.
“A farm’s number one asset is its people, and farmers often put their business first, when they really need to take care of themselves first to put their business in good stead,” she said.
The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to cope with stress, even for those who find it near impossible to get away from the farm to take time out.
A key part of managing stress in day to day life is making time for your family or friends, Jeanne said.
“Even if it’s just having a cuppa with your spouse, or ringing your neighbour, or even participating in a local industry discussion group where you can catch up and debrief with people who understand what life’s like on a farm – the good and the bad.
“It can be hard, but people need to know it’s ok to share vulnerability,” she said.
Self-care strategies such as relaxation techniques can also be helpful for those who find it difficult to visit a GP.
Some of these strategies are outlined in the NCFH’s ‘Managing Stress on the Farm’ booklet, which has become an “extremely popular” resource since its 2017 release, with around 30,000 copies printed for distribution at events like the Dairy Expo, and demand expected to grow even more as drought becomes “the norm” in many farming regions.
Can you ever be ‘too connected’?
Woolamai dairy farmer Paul Kent agreed with Jeanne on the importance of reaching out, especially during tough times.
“You can always get on the phone and talk to someone. Even when you’re down the back paddock, there’s never a reason not to ask for help if you need it,” he said.
A participant in Gippsland Jersey’s 2017 calendar promoting mental health awareness, Paul said social media could be a great way for isolated farmers to connect with others, but added that it was vital to recognise when social media use may be crossing into ‘unhealthy’ territory.
“It can amp up your stress load,” said Paul, who recently went ‘cold turkey,’ giving up social media for three months.
“It’s more people who have expectations and demands of you. I got to a point where I was waking up every day to hundreds of messages, and it just got overwhelming, so I had to take a step back.”
Paul said he not only “got a lot more work done,” while off social media, he also noticed a marked improvement in his mental health.
He’s back on Facebook now, but only in small doses, favouring quality time with family and his beloved farm dog, Art, over screen time.
“Everyone’s different, but it’s about knowing your own limits,” he said.
Read article: 2019-09-19: Coping with stress on the farm – South Gippsland Sentinel Times
2019-09-10: Farmers come to Canberra to warn Government not to rollover on quad bike safety change – Mirage News
The National Farmers’ Federation is warning the Government that lives will continue to be lost if a simple but life-saving change isn’t made to improve quad bike safety.
The NFF took its frustration to Parliament House, Canberra today with the personal stories of farmers injured in quad bike rollovers and a quad bike operator protection device (OPD) demonstration.
In March, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommended the Government mandate the fitting of OPDs on all new quad bikes within 24 months.
For reasons that are not clear, the Government is stalling on making the transformational change which requires the Assistant Treasurer, Michael Sukkar to do nothing more than make a simple administrative alteration.
NFF President Fiona Simson said the message to the Government was simple: act now to help prevent further tragedy.
“Already this year eight people have died in quad bike rollovers, five since the ACCC report was handed down. Since 2001, the lives of 230 people, including many children, have been cut short.
“Despite these horrifying incidents and the pain and suffering for families and regional communities, the Coalition Government won’t commit to playing its part in protecting farmers from death and life-altering injuries caused by quad bike rollover.
At the demonstration on the lawns of Parliament House, the NFF was supported by the Rural Doctors Association of Australia and the Australian Workers Union. Labor Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones MP and Greens Agriculture spokesperson Senator Janet Rice also spoke in support.
The Australian Medical Association, the Royal Flying Doctors Service, the Country Women’s Association, the National Rural Health Alliance and the Centre for Farmer Health all support the ACCC’s recommendations.
“If only those standing in the way of the recommendation could visit our rural emergency departments when a farmer, or a farmer’s child, is rushed in with critical injuries due to a quad bike rollover, I’m sure they would change their mind immediately,” RDAA President, Dr Adam Coltzau said.
“These incidents are incredibly traumatic for all involved, and it is made even more traumatic because it is preventable through the fitting of an OPD.”
In July, the NFF led a delegation of farmers to meet with MPs and Senators. These meetings revealed a lack of understanding of OPDs and quad bike operation including that working dogs can’t jump on the back of bikes with OPDs. Slim, the kelpie was at the demonstration to categorically dismiss this concern. OPD manufacturers were also on hand to explain how the devices work when in operation.
Disturbingly there was also a level of misinformation that had allegedly been seeded by sources with a vested interest in seeing the change stifled. Quad manufacturers Honda and Yamaha have previously threatened to withdraw from the Australian market if the change was enacted. Other manufacturers have committed to adopt OPDs.
View Article here: 2019-09-10: Farmers come to Canberra to warn Government not to rollover on quad bike safety change – Mirage News
2019-09-04: Australia first agricultural health resource launched – Queensland Country Life
PHOTO: Tam Phillips, National Centre for Farmer Health, Kate Graham, Western Victoria Primary Health Network researcher, the Naked Farmer Ben Brooksby, Rohan Gunning, Coleraine farmer and Leanne Beagley, Western Vic PHN chief executive at the health pathways launch in Horsham last week.
By: Gregor Heard
AN AUSTRALIA-FIRST rural health resource was launched in Horsham last week by the Western Victoria Primary Health Network (PHN).
The Rural Health chapter of the online Health Pathways resource will provide information that will allow rural-based health professionals in Australia to be better equipped to deal with agriculture-related medical issues.
Chief executive of the Western Vic PHN Leanne Beagley said the chapter was designed to improve health outcomes in agricultural communities by virtue of providing clinicians with resources dedicated to health issues specific to rural Australia.
She said it filled an important knowledge gap.
“The rural health chapter was written when it was realised there was a gap in medical knowledge about the specific issues facing farmers and the rural community more broadly.”
Horsham-based general practitioner Kate Graham was responsible for writing up the chapter.
She said there were a lot of issues in agriculture that were commonplace in the sector but would not necessarily be widely known by the broader medical community.
Issues such as animal related illnesses, including Q fever, are unlikely to be considered as the cause of sickness in an urban based practice but need to be considered by those treating workers in agriculture.
Dr Graham said chemical toxicity and exposure was another area that would not be a prime suspect for illness when patients presented with particular symptoms in the city but needed to be considered in rural areas.
As well as the rural-specific information there have also been additions to other existing pathways such as mental health to provide information specific to rural areas.
The Western Vic PHN has partnered with western Victorian health services, including the Hamilton-based National Centre for Farmer Health to localise the development, implementation and evaluation of the content to the region.
It is hoped following the initial launch of the project in the Wimmera the pathways will then be rolled out across Victoria and then Australia.
Along with specific workplace health risks the chapter also looks at some of the long-term health risks associated with living in rural areas.
Speaking at the launch of the pathway, Tam Phillips of the National Centre for Farmer Health said farming communities have a range of high risk health factors.
“There are unfortunately a lot of chronic risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, unhealthy diets that are more prevalent in rural areas, so anything we can do to correct this is fantastic.
“The mortality rate among farmers between 50 and 60 is far too high and anything we can do to help bring that down is worthwhile.”
She said getting farmers to take the initial step to book an appointment was often the hardest.
“Once farmers are alerted to a health problem, be it high cholesterol or whatever they are often really receptive to working on it, as numbers-focused people they like to try and beat their last figure when they next check in.”
Guest speaker at the launch of the pathway Ben Brooksby, a local farmer who has achieved online fame as mental health advocate The Naked Farmer, said it was critical resources were invested into rural health.
He spoke of his battle with anxiety, which left him unable to do the weekly grocery shop and how working with a GP had helped him get the problem under control.
Mr Brooksby said problems such as isolation and difficulties accessing services were some of the biggest problems in terms of health care facing people in rural areas.
He said having a health workforce that better understood the issues faced by those living in the country would help achieve better outcomes.
Rohan Gunning, a farmer from Coleraine, also spoke at the launch.
He said for time-poor farmers a chance to tick off several health checks in one go or when combined with other activities during a visit to a town with health services was a good starting point to ensure health problems did not escalate.
“Something like the free health scans for blood pressure or for eye sight that are offered at field days, such as at Sheep Vention in Hamilton, which is very well attended in my local area, are really worthwhile, you may get people through the doors that wouldn’t dedicate a day going in to see their local doctor.”
Read more: 2019-09-04: Australia first agricultural health resource launched – Queensland Country Life
CLICK HERE to read more and access HealthPathways
Or to access western Victoria’s HealthPathways portal, contact the HealthPathways team:
Email: healthpathways@westvicphn.com.au
Phone: 03 5222 0800
Why use HealthPathways
- Each Pathway provides condition-specific information to support the assessment, management and referral of patients.
- Useful clinical reminders of ‘red flags’ for specific presentations are highlighted
- It is a dynamic resource. New and updated information is regularly added to the portal.
- Pathways also include information for clinicians to provide to patients including reference materials and educational resources.
- HealthPathways promotes closer relationships between GPs, Allied Health professionals, specialists and relevant community agencies to help deliver a more connected health system.
Farmer Health eNews September 2019
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A Pest to Mental Health? Exploring the Link between Exposure to Agrichemicals in Farmers and Mental Health
The current literature acknowledges that occupational exposures can adversely affect mental health. This review seeks to elucidate the current understanding of the effect of agrichemical exposure on mental health in the agricultural sector, including low-dose, chronic pesticide exposure. This scoping review adopted a snowballing and saturation approach. The review highlights inconsistencies in linking poor mental health and pesticide use. While some studies specifically showed that both high- and low-dose pesticide exposure were associated with poor mental health, consistent and rigorous research methods are lacking. The review also proposes terms to delineate exposure types described in the literature. The review outcomes direct efforts to protect the health, wellbeing and safety of farming communities across the globe.
Development and evaluation of e-mental health interventions to reduce stigmatization of suicidality – a study protocol
Worldwide, approximately 800,000 persons die by suicide every year; with rates of suicide attempts estimated to be much higher. Suicidal persons often suffer from a mental disorder but stigma, lack of available and suitable support, and insufficient information on mental health limit help seeking. The use of internet-based applications can help individuals inform themselves about mental disorders, assess the extent of their own concerns, find local treatment options, and prepare for contact with health care professionals. This project aims to develop and evaluate e-mental health interventions to improve knowledge about suicidality and to reduce stigmatization of those affected. In developing these interventions, a representative telephone survey was conducted to detect knowledge gaps and stigmatizing attitudes in the general population.
Suicide and Accidental Death for Australia’s Farming Families: How Context Influences Individual Response
This article presents qualitative data to explore the experience of farming family members faced with accidental or suicide death and understand how this is experienced within the farming context.
The epidemiology of emergency presentations for falls across Western Victoria, Australia
In order to develop and implement prevention strategies for falls, comprehensive epidemiological data are required. Therefore, this study mapped emergency presentations for falls across the western region of Victoria, Australia, encompassing urban, regional and rural areas.
‘It could have been a lot worse’: the psychological effects of farm-related serious injury in Victoria’
The psychological response to injury is an important factor in recovery, and the development of psychological problems can result in a delay or inability to return to pre-injury function, including return to work. Farming is widely acknowledged as a stressful occupation, with non-injured farmers already at an increased risk of developing significant psychological problems, including high levels of stress and depression, and increased rates of suicide. This study aimed to investigate the psychological effects of serious farm-related injury on farmers, and how this influences their recovery.
Revision joint replacement surgeries of the hip and knee across geographic region and socioeconomic status in the western region of Victoria: a cross-sectional multilevel analysis of registry data
Residents of rural and regional areas, compared to those in urban regions, are more likely to experience geographical difficulties in accessing healthcare, particularly specialist services. We investigated associations between region of residence, socioeconomic status (SES) and utilisation of all-cause revision hip replacement or revision knee replacement surgeries.