Smarter livestock handling, safer farmers: Free event
A hands-on event focused on safer livestock handling and farmer health and wellbeing will be held in Hamilton, Victoria to kick off National Safe Work Month in October.
Farm safe and strong: Practical tips for improving safety when working with cattle aims to address the recent number of farmer injuries and fatalities occurring in cattle yards. The event will be delivered by the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) in collaboration with WorkSafe Victoria on Friday 3 October, and is one of many events taking place online and across the state to highlight safe and healthy workplaces.
The event will feature expert-led demonstrations and practical advice on livestock handling and protecting farmer health and safety, as well as farm safety demonstrations on yard work such as loading and unloading livestock, keeping livestock calm and yourself and contractors safe.
Vet safety, including cattle crush safety and avoiding needlestick injuries will also be in focus. Needlestick injuries affect 80 per cent of livestock farmers, occurring from accidental injection with a needle intended for an animal. In extreme cases, it can cause amputation or even death.
Attendees will also find out more about Q Fever, a highly contagious flu-like infection transmitted to humans from infected livestock and wildlife. With cases among farmers increasing, Q Fever is usually transmitted from exposure to infected cattle, sheep, goats and wild pigs or from inhaling infected dust.
NCFH Director Dr Alison Kennedy said the event was an opportunity for farmers, their families and agriculture students to come together to learn, connect with others and build a culture of safety on farms.
“The most valuable asset on any farm isn’t machinery or the land – it’s the people. Protecting your safety, health and wellbeing on the farm must always be front of mind,” she said.
“Whether you need a refresher or are keen to learn something new, the ‘Farm safe and strong’ event will provide a set of practical tips to take back to the farm to support safer livestock handling and farmer health.”
WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said the event would give farmers a chance to hear expert advice while trading stories and experiences of health and safety on the land.
“Farming can be isolating work, so we encourage people to come along and make connections that will create change and a culture of safety,” he said.
“Through meaningful conversations, we can all grow our understanding of current issues in agriculture and work together to improve safety in an industry that powers our economy, supports regional communities and keeps food on our shelves.”
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For more information, please contact:
Alison Kennedy – Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: 03 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970 | E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net
Farmer Health eNews September 2025
Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- Farm safe and strong: Practical tips for safer farming event
- Two new publications: Farmer health from Australia to Indonesia
- Hip or knee pain? NCFH is here to support you!
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New partnership to deliver hearing health education for young farmers
We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Deafness Forum Australia that will see the expansion of our existing Shifting Gears: Farm Safety Resources for Educators with the addition of a brand-new topic: Hearing Health and Protection in Farming.
Launching in January 2026, just in time for the new school year, this important topic will equip young people with the knowledge and tools to protect their hearing in noisy agricultural environments. From tractors to chainsaws, many everyday farm activities pose risks to hearing – yet awareness and prevention strategies are often overlooked.
This new module builds on our commitment to improving health and safety outcomes for the next generation of farmers. Together with Deafness Forum Australia, we’re making it easier for educators to bring practical, engaging, and evidence-based learning into the classroom.
Stay tuned for more updates as we move closer to launch!
Globalising farmer health: Australia to Indonesia
Adapting a proven Australian model to support the health and safety of Indonesian farmers
Overview
Our internationally successful health and lifestyle assessment tool has now been trialled in rural Indonesia, offering vital insights into the health, wellbeing and safety of agricultural workers.
With agriculture employing over 40 million Indonesians, this pilot study reveals generally good health and low psychological distress, but high smoking rates and unsafe agrichemical use.
Translating and adapting our tool highlights its global relevance – proving that working with our international partners strengthens efforts to improve outcomes for farming communities worldwide. Collaborative approaches like this support healthier, safer farming populations – wherever they live or work.
Key insights
- Rural and Remote HealthStudy site: Rural East Java
- 51 participants – average age: 39.5, all male
- 76% were active smokers
- 100% used agrichemicals – but personal protective equipment (PPE) use was low.
Understanding the phases and tensions of regenerative agriculture for better health outcomes for farmers
Overview
This research examines how transitioning to regenerative agriculture (RA) intersects with mental health and wellbeing among Australian farmers. Bridging sustainable agriculture and mental health – highlighting how thoughtful transition strategies can support farmer resilience during times of change.
Key insights
- Australian farmers face numerous pressures – including severe weather events, market unpredictability, technological demands, regulatory burdens and social isolation – that significantly affect their mental health.
- Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a promising approach not only for environmental and production goals, but also for supporting farmer wellbeing through more connected and adaptive farming systems.
- The study identifies distinct phases as farmers transition to RA – such as triggering, acceptance, adoption, and adaptation – and underscores that mental health vulnerabilities differ across these phases, requiring tailored supports.
Farmer Health eNews August 2025
Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- A Year in Review: Strengthening farmer health, wellbeing and safety
- Don’t underestimate a needlestick injury
- Seeking participants: Occupational health and safety in rural Australia
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Joining forces to make a difference
Working on the land takes a physical toll – and ongoing joint pain in your knees or hips can make everyday tasks that much harder. If you’re not sure what steps to take, you’re not alone.
That’s why the National Centre for Farmer Health has partnered with Beyond The Clinic to offer JointFit – a personalised joint health program designed to help you reduce pain, move better and avoid unnecessary surgery.
Ready to start your path to pain-free joint mobility? Whether you’re living with a joint condition or waiting for surgery, we have you covered. Most rehab plans just tell you to exercise more and hope for the best. JointFit keeps you connected – to your care team, to expert support and to your recovery goals.
The application combines expert physiotherapy care, smart technology and real-time health insights to help you protect your joints, recover faster, and stay strong for the long haul.
How does it work?
Getting started is easy – and completely free!
- Step 1: Take the assessment – Answer nine short questions to uncover your hip or knee profile.
- Step 2: Discover your Joint Health Profile – Get personalised results and advice based on your needs.
- Step 3: Get instant access to the JointFit app – You’ll receive an SMS with a link to begin your 6-week, expert-led program – at no cost to you.
- Step 4: Share your progress – Stay on top of your recovery and easily share updates with your GP or physio.
Why JointFit?
- Avoid surgery by strengthening joints and improving function.
- Get care from home – no travel, no waiting rooms.
- Access expert guidance from qualified physiotherapists.
For more information, please contact:
Beyond The Clinic
P: 1300 455 058 E: support@beyondtheclinic.io
2024-25 Year in Review
Strengthening farmer health, wellbeing and safety at the NCFH
Written by National Centre for Farmer Health Director Alison Kennedy
As I reflect on the past 12 months at the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH), I am filled with pride, gratitude, and renewed commitment to improving the health, wellbeing and safety of farming communities across Australia.
This year has been one of connection, innovation, and impact.
Farmer health goes to Canberra
The 2024-25 year kicked off with an amazing visit to Canberra. Our team hosted an event at Parliament House, bringing together politicians, senior public servants and industry representatives to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of farmer health, wellbeing and safety.
This was followed by a Farmer Health Symposium with more than 60 attendees from across Australia – including farmers, researchers, service providers and policy makers – who came together to connect, share knowledge and build the foundations for long-term collaboration.
Not long after, our new ‘community friendly’ location in Hamilton was officially opened with great fanfare and celebration, complete with a live broadcast by the ABC Country Hour.
Scaling what works
This year we have focused on testing, refining and scaling up initiatives with the aim of reaching more farmers than ever. This includes our farmer health checks which now have new digital features to help farmers take action (including follow-up text message reminders) without compromising the face-to-face interaction with our skilled farmer health nurses. Our health checks have reached farmers from across five states in 2024-25.
We’ve also been testing a new model of mental health support this year via our Back on Track program – recruiting, training and supporting peer coaches to deliver a 10-session behavioural activation program to members of the farming community experiencing depression. We are grateful to the farming communities who have trusted us to walk alongside them in this work.
Safe Spaces model continues to build
In 2025 we continued the development and deep community engagement around the Safe Spaces Model of Primary Healthcare, a five-year Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) project aiming to transform how primary care services respond to and welcome queer rural youth.
The energy, creativity, and leadership of young people, their allies and those who support them have been inspiring, and their voices continue to shape change from the ground up.
Training, outreach and advocacy
Our education programs are reaching far and wide. They include:
- Calm the Farm workshops for farm owners/managers
- Mental health capacity building webinars for trusted advisers
- Postgraduate Agricultural Health and Medicine training for rural health professionals
- Shifting Gears teaching resources in secondary schools across five states, targeting the next farming generation.
Throughout the year, the NCFH team has also ensured that farmer voices are front and centre in national discussions around mental health, drought resilience and workforce sustainability by delivering many keynote presentations, media interviews and policy briefings.
Research that reflects reality
The NCFH research team has published and presented on a wide range of issues:
- On-farm electrical hazards
- Heat stress
- Farm safety culture
- Regenerative agriculture
- Mental health
- Climate modelling informing risk of zoonotic disease
- Innovative models of care for supporting farmer health and wellbeing.
This year, our research has increasingly focused on co-design, implementation science and systems change –ensuring that what we learn is directly translatable to community benefit.
We have also played an advisory role in shaping national and state-level rural health policy, advocating for evidence-based, community-driven and farmer-informed approaches to rural health, wellbeing and safety.
A growing and energised team
The last 12 months have seen the expansion of our team with passionate new staff members across research, peer work, project and admin support, and clinical services – bringing new skills and expertise, farming experience and fresh energy to the NCFH.
We’ve also welcomed three new junior members to our team this year (congratulations to our NCFH Mums Matilda, Jo and Tahlia).
Looking ahead
While we celebrate what has been achieved, we know the challenges facing rural communities remain complex and deeply interconnected. Climate pressures, economic uncertainty, social isolation and service shortages all continue to affect farmer wellbeing. But, with the support of our collaborators and the trust of farming communities, we are confident in our path forward.
Over the next 12 months, we will deepen our focus on systems-level change, grow our health service and training programs, and continue advocating for health equity in the bush – ensuring all of our farmers, farm workers, farming families and agriculture-dependent communities have the opportunity and resources to improve their health, wellbeing and safety.
Our partnerships – with rural organisations, farming families, universities, government and health services –continue to grow in strength and impact. Thank you to everyone who has walked alongside us this past year.
We look forward to the road ahead, with hope, humility, and a deep respect for the people who feed and care for our nation. If you would like to walk alongside us in this new financial year, please reach out to chat about how we can work together.
For more information, please contact:
Alison Kennedy – Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: 03 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970 | E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net
Farmer Health eNews July 2025
Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- Grants program for Victorian farming community events – don’t miss out!
- Webinar: Teaching farm safety in schools with Shifting Gears
- Scaling up AgriSafe: New research grant supports farmer health!
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$5K grants to support mental health events in Vic farming communities
Community groups across Victoria can now apply for up to $5,000 in funding to organise events that support farmer mental health, wellbeing and social connection in regional areas.
The funding is part of the Look Over the Farm Gate Community Grants Program which is being delivered by the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) on behalf of the Victorian Government’s 2025 Drought Support package. The NCFH will administer the grants, and provide support to applicants to put on their community event.
While grants are available to community groups across Victoria, NCFH Director Alison Kennedy said Look Over the Farm Gate will prioritise drought-impacted areas.
“We’re looking forward to kicking off Look Over the Farm Gate, to help Victorian communities organise effective events that promote social connection and mental health awareness for farmers, their families and workers who are doing it tough at the moment,” Alison said.
“We have learnt from experience that when it comes to supporting mental health and wellbeing, community leaders understand the dynamics and unique needs of their region better than anyone. They are often keen to start important conversations around farmer mental health, help their community members be proactive in protecting their wellbeing and build resilience, and direct people to seek help if required.”
Eligible community organisations and groups in Victoria can include agriculture industry groups, service clubs, sporting clubs, neighbourhood houses, local health services and other not-for-profit groups.
Community events can be targeted to farmers, agricultural workers and farming families, as well as the broader agricultural communities and trusted agricultural advisers who support them. Events can be diverse, ranging from a community BBQ or a farmer health check to a guest speaker session.
“It’s easy to apply for a Look Over the Farm Gate Community Grant – all you have to do is fill out an online form on the NCFH website. You can also seek our team’s support in thinking about your event,” Alison explained.
“In addition to funding, successful applicants for Look Over the Farm Gate Community Grants will also receive an event resource pack with mental health resources tailored to farming communities, to help organisers deliver their event in a psychologically and emotionally safe way.”
For more information on the Look Over the Farm Gate Community Grants Program or to apply for funding, visit farmerhealth.org.au/look-over-the-farm-gate. Look Over the Farm Gate is funded by Agriculture Victoria under the Victorian Government’s 2025 Drought Support Package.
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For more information, please contact:
Alison Kennedy – Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: 03 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970 | E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net
Farmer Health eNews June 2025
Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- NCFH receives vital lifeline with government funding
- Online hub for support made easy
- Connecting with farmers at FarmFest field days
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National Centre for Farmer Health receives vital lifeline with government funding
The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s commitment of $900,000 to support the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers across Australia.
NCFH Director Alison Kennedy said the announcement was a relief.
“The announcement of $900,000 funding for the NCFH underscores the Victorian Government’s commitment to supporting farmers who are currently doing it tough managing multiple – and often cumulative – stressors on the farm, from extreme weather events to volatile markets,” Alison said.
“The continuation of funding for 2025-26 will help us to keep doing what we do best – identifying and preventing chronic disease and safety risk factors in the agriculture and farming community with a range of practical tools and programs.”
Founded in 2008 as a partnership between Western District Health Service and Deakin University, the NCFH works with primary producers and agriculture industry members, researchers, health services and all levels of government to develop and deliver services that support the health, safety and wellbeing of farmers – at no cost to them.
The NCFH employs over 20 staff, many of whom are farmers as well as professionals from health, agriculture, behavioural and social sciences. They develop and deliver a range of evidence-based and impactful programs and resources in collaboration with farmers, experts and industry including:
- Health & Lifestyle Assessments where farmers can get a free farmer-focused health check-up with a registered nurse
- Farmer-focused mental health information and resources, such as the Support Hub and Managing Stress on the Farm booklet
- Unique education opportunities, such as the Shifting Gears farm safety education program providing easily accessible resources for school teachers
- Training workshops for service providers to help them support farmers navigating tough times
- Support for communities to plan and run effective mental health promotion events
- Essential research to inform and evaluate farmer health, wellbeing and safety initiatives and inform ongoing work at the NCFH.
“At the NCFH we see first-hand the impact we’re having in providing this support. We often have farmers telling us about life-saving changes they made as a result of something picked up in a 20-minute health assessment or something they learned during a mental health workshop,” Alison said.
“We appreciate the government’s recognition of the critical role we play in continuing to deliver and reach more farmers with our important services, but stress the need for sustained funding to maximise reach and long term impact on farmer health, wellbeing and safety.”
For more information or to find out how to support the National Centre for Farmer Health, visit farmerhealth.org.au/partnerships-supporters.
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For more information, please contact:
Alison Kennedy – Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: 03 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970 | E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net