2019-06-18: Livestock owners flock to beef and sheep conference – Mirage News
Hundreds of beef and sheep producers are gathering in Bendigo today and tomorrow to further their knowledge, skills and understanding of producing meat and wool for an increasingly discerning market.
Top of the learning list this conference is best practice and innovation, particularly relating to producing a premium product, optimising pasture production and aligning production systems to consumer expectations.
Today’s BetterBeef program features keynote speakers ready to tackle these issues while addressing burning questions around recovering after dry seasons, stocking rates, animal health and welfare, abattoir improvements and genetics.
At Wednesday’s BestWool/BestLamb conference there will be presentations on building resilience in tough times, increasing reproduction outcomes and integrating technology into a sheep production system.
Meat and Wool Program Manager Kate Linden said the conference program once again provides a range of fantastic speakers discussing issues that are current and relevant to producers.
Optional health checks will be available at this years conference, with a team of agri-health professionals from the National Centre for Farmer Health offering delegates an opportunity to check on their number one asset – their health.
Taking just 20 minutes to complete, the farmer health and lifestyle assessments include a lifestyle survey covering health behaviours, farm practices and social and emotional wellbeing.
Participants will also have their cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and diabetes risk measured, and provided with health education and skills to enhance their own health.
The National Centre for Farmer health is a partnership between Deakin University and Western District Health Service and focuses on improving the health, wellbeing and safety of farming men, women and their families and rural communities across Australia.
Ms Linden said the annual conference attracts around 400 industry leaders.
“It would not be possible without the support of our industry partners; Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia,” she said.
For more details about today’s and tomorrow’s events, see the conference program.
Read article here: 2019-06-18: Livestock owners flock to beef and sheep conference – Mirage News
Farmer Health eNews June 2019
Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- HMF702 Scholarships
- Presenting to the Royal Commissionon into Victoria’s Mental Health
- Out and about – HLA & Managing Stress Workshops in Queensland
- Wellness Wednesday
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2019-05-30: Goondiwindi farmers learn to cope with the stress of drought – Goondiwindi Argus
A free mental health training workshop will come to Goondiwindi in a bid to better equip rural communities facing ongoing pressures associated with the drought.
It’s just one of a number of workshop to be rolled out across the Darling Downs by the Darling Downs Health service.
The workshops are open to farmers, community members and agricultural industry representatives who want to learn more about mental health and increase their ability to help others in times of need.
“The workshops are about helping people to help each other,” workshop organiser Richard Henshaw said.
“People can walk away with the skills of identifying when someone is experiencing mental health issues, and knowing how to best assist them.”
The workshops are presented by the National Centre for Farmer Health and funded by Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN and Darling Downs Health.
The catered workshops will be held in the following locations: Goondiwindi, Monday 17 June, 11am to 2pm.
Millmerran, Wednesday 19 June, Noon to 3pm. To register or for more information contact Richard Henshaw on richard.henshaw@health.qld.gov.au or phone 4616 6760.
View article: 2019-05-30: Goondiwindi farmers learn to cope with the stress of drought – Goondiwindi Argus
Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System – Visit to the National Centre for Farmer Health
The Chair Penny Armitage, Commissioner Professor Allan Fels AO and two commission (DHHS) staff Maria and Adam visited the NCFH on Friday 12 April 2019. The meeting went very well and we were ably supported by three farmer consumers who spoke freely about their lived experience of poor mental health, access to support and suicide. A strong representation of staff also assisted. The Commission was clearly interested in our reach and a presentation of our work, how we got to be here, and our reach. It was wonderful to report that a team of 3 NCFH agri professionals were currently undertaking farmer health assessments (which all involve a psychosocial screening) in Gippsland for the following 3 days where farmers are currently experiencing drought.
Key things raised
The Commission was very interested in our service/ research/ advocacy/ reputation and reach approach. Of particular interest and issues raised were:
- NCFH AgSPACE project (Agricultural Suicide Prevention through Analysis of Coronial Evidence), in partnership with the Victorian Coroner’s Office, looking at coroner’s data, suicides, role of place, access and regional differences.
- AgriSafe™ model as a method of engagement for early detection and prevention.
- The challenge of only 10 mental health visits when you are in crisis, through the GP Mental Health Plan funding.
- Difficulty and lack of incentive for psychologists due to cost of service delivery in rural locations like Warracknabeal, Coleraine etc, even when supported by PHN.
- Interest in farmer health digital stories, (these were also raised at the Commission’s Hamilton community gathering).
- Admitted acute mental services and what would be suitable for farmers in distress or needing acute admission.
- Role of peer-to-peer support.
- NCFH Health and Lifestyle assessments at agricultural events/field days and the psychosocial screening which is seen as ‘just part of any health, wellbeing and safety’ engagement with farmers and agricultural workers.
- Our ability to engage well with both men and women.
- The positive and negative role of social media.
Next steps
The Commission is using these preliminary meetings to form the basis of the actual hearings and will be calling for written submissions and attendances at hearings. Dr Alison Kennedy has since been invited to act as a witness attending the public hearings.
Visit the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System website
Make a submission to the Royal Commission—Submissions are open until 5 July 2019
Farmer Health eNews May 2019
Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- HMF702 Scholarships
- Quad bike safety rebate survey
- Metalcorp tick of approval
- Wellness Wednesday
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2019-04-23: Drought advice at field days – East Gippsland Field Days
Metalcorp Tick of Approval
Metalcorp and the National Centre for Farmer Health have continued their partnership in 2019, helping to make a difference to farmer’s lives.
Metalcorp’s corporate support of the NCFH provides vital funding to aid research and support ongoing activities to improve farmer health.
Recently, Metalcorp’s livestock handling equipment has received a safe farming tick of approval by the National Centre for Farmer Health.
A review by the National Centre For Farmer Health found that Metalcorp’s CLASSIC PLUS® Crush, CATTLEMASTER® Crush and the HOBBYMASTER® Vet Crush were considered to be a superior safety option for farmers.
The assessments were conducted by Livestock Veterinarian Dr David Rendell, Occupational Therapist Andrew Cross and NCFH Director Dr Susan Brumby to ensure Metalcorp’s Cattle Crushes enable cattle and humans to work together as safely and efficiently as possible.
Cattle Crushes play a vital role for farmers to carry out a variety of jobs on the animal, including vaccinating, dehorning, castrating, pregnancy testing, tagging, veterinarian treatment and much more.
With these important jobs to be carried out, the report revealed that Metalcorp’s Cattle Crushes meet manual handling demands and gates and locking mechanisms were considered reasonable, easy to use and well designed.
The report also revealed that because Metalcorp’s Cattle Crushes are designed with rectangular steel sections, this prevents the handler putting an arm in the cattle crush area and is viewed as a significant improvement from cattle crushes designed with round pipe sections.
Metalcorp’s Cattle Crushes effectively restrain the typical range of cattle in Australia, enabling important procedures to be carried out.
READ MORE: DOWNLOAD TICK OF APPROVAL FACT SHEET – HERE
2019-04-08: Gear Up for Ag Program at Billabong High School – School Newsletter
On Thursday, 4 April, the junior elective Agricultural class and the Year 11 Primary Industries class spent 3 hours learning all about health and safety issues and management of these issues facing people working (and sometimes living) in this industry. The National Centre for Farmers Health delivered the very informative, encouraging and interactive workshop. A big thank you to the Rural Bank and Henty Community Bank for sponsorship of the program. Each student went home with a full kit of PPE they can use when working in the agricultural industry now or in the future.
2019-04-06: Hit event at South West TAFE – Hamilton Spectator
Farmer Health eNews April 2019
Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- 23rd IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion
- We’re heading to Farm World for Health & Lifestyle Assessments – Agriculture Victoria Site
- Supporting farmers and rural communities – Drought support
- Wellness Wednesday
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2019-03-01: It Takes a Village Heather Fleming Digital Story – Graziher Magazine Autumn Issue
2019-03-15: Dubbo farmers turn out for free health checks at Metalcorp – Dubbo Daily Liberal
PHOTO: TESTS: Tony Fenwick, Kylie Tolmie and Morna Semmens come together at Metalcorp Dubbo which partnered with the National Centre for Farmer Health to offer free health checks for farmers on Friday. Photo: BELINDA SOOLE
About 2pm Mrs Tolmie’s husband nudged her towards a back room of the business in Jannali Road where 22 farmers had gone before her.
Mrs Tolmie was met by National Centre for Farmer Health clinician Morna Semmens who had been expecting 16 farmers or agricultural workers to visit between noon and 4pm.
She welcomed the flood of drought-affected farmers for tests including blood pressure and cholesterol with “almost all of them” told to go and see their GP based on the results.
Metalcorp Steel’s NSW rural manager Tony Fenwick said farmers tended to “bottle up” their health concerns but they had been “opening up because these guys know what questions to ask”.
“This has been a good way to give back to the community that has helped us through tough times,” he said.
View article: 2019-03-15: Dubbo farmers turn out for free health checks at Metalcorp – Dubbo Daily Liberal