2016-05-26: The heartwrenching reality of suicide and depression among Australian farmers – News.com.au

IT’S the side of farming that often goes unnoticed; the area we are still “too embarrassed to talk about”.
When Katrina was just 15-years-old, and her sister was 11, their “hardworking, outgoing and socially happy” dad took his own life on their farm in Barham, on the banks of the Murray River.

As a father and loving husband to their mother Debbie, Sandy Warne suffered years of depression while working as a farmer on his 800-acre avocado property.

“My grandparents brought the farm in the 70s, and then my dad took it on when they couldn’t run it any longer,” daughter Katrina, now 34, told news.com.au

“My dad loved the farm so much, and he wanted to be a farmer his whole life. While many farmers often don’t get off their property, dad was a huge community man, really involved in golf, tennis and squash. He was outgoing, happy and very social.”

While Sandy’s depression was “very well hidden from his friends and the local community”, his family was well aware of his spiralling condition — especially in the last six months of his life.

“Dad was just 42 years old when he died, and he kept what he was feeling very well hidden from those who weren’t family,” Katrina said.

“He was actually booked to go into hospital the day after he died, but I think the thought of doing that was just too hard for him.

“In the months before dad died, he lost a lot of weight. He was very stressed, because he and mum were considering selling the farm. It was meant to be sold a few days after he died because of financial reasons.

“Because of this reason, dad felt he was a failure. But according to mum, they were never in a position where they had to sell, I think dad just felt like the farm wasn’t going well enough, so he had to get rid of it.”

Katrina, who is now married and a mother to three young children, said her father’s dream to work the family farm with his brother’s played a big toll on his depression — because his fantasy never became a reality.

“He always wanted to run the farm with his family, his dad and brothers, but that didn’t happen and so that really affected dad. He couldn’t ever let go of that dream,” she said.

“In the later months, just before he took his life, my mum knew he was getting really bad. She and my uncle took the guns away from the house because he was potentially suicidal.

“We knew how sick he was, but the problem with mental health is that once they get to a certain point, it’s very hard to help them. For dad, going to the hospital the next day was just too hard.”

And that is one of the biggest problems Katrina, who is now involved with a Beyond Blue funded project called The Ripple Effect, says farmers face today.

“People, especially men, often try and hide a problem, and sometimes don’t even know how bad their mental state is until it’s too late,” she said.

“I’m very passionate about prevention, knowing what signs to look out for and what to do when you see them.

“People aren’t very good about asking if others are OK, but we really need to do it more, and be a little more paranoid about what is going on around us.”

While Katrina admits her father’s death didn’t have a huge affect on her life when it happened, she said his death impacted her more and more as she got older, because she had to explain the circumstances to new people.

“When dad died, mum explained things to me really well, and I felt I had an understanding with what had happened,” she said.

“When it happened, everyone at school knew what happened to my dad. But as I got older, no one knew the story, so I had to tell people. When I had kids, I found it even more difficult to talk about.

“With suicide no one wants to talk about it, you can almost feel embarrassed because you’re worried about another person’s reaction. My mum would never talk about it, and she still doesn’t.”

The most recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Mortality Report shows that 15-24 year old males in regional areas are 1.5—1.8 times more likely to end their life by suicide than their urban counterparts. The incidence is up to six times higher in very remote areas.

In response to the dairy industry crisis, farmers in Queensland held a minute’s silence for those lost to suicide in the industry while rallying outside the state’s Parliament House.

“This is an industry-wide problem and when we’re talking industry-wide we are talking about everybody in this country,” Robbie Radel, a dairy farmer from Biggenden, said in an interview with the ABC.

“And while we’re thinking about everybody in this country I would ask you to take your hats off, we’re going to have a minute’s silence to honour those brave dairy farmers who couldn’t make their way out of this; they couldn’t see their way clear.

“They’ve taken their lives; they’ve taken what they believed to be the only option.”

Earlier this month, farmers across the Victoria were blindsided after the nation’s two largest processors, Murray Goulburn and Fonterra, slashed the price it pays suppliers for milk solids.

It’s raised new concerns about mental health and depression among dairy farmers.

Former Farmer Wants a Wife contestant Matt Goyder knows first hand what living on the land, combined with depression can do to a person. The 26-year-old, who is now an ambassador for Lifeline, has been suffering from mental health issues “since the age of 11 or 12”.

When he was 24, and six years into his career as a farmer in rural Western Australia, the cattle pastoralist spent five months in rehab to overcome his demons, and deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I live, work and breathe next to the same people every day. It’s very hard to make friends, and it’s hard with relationships,” he told news.com.au

“You can’t speak to someone face-to-face about your feelings because you are so isolated. A lot of people don’t acknowledge there is a problem, because they think that being unhappy is normal.

“You get into a mentality that you don’t need friends, family or love, and you think the land and your working dog is enough. But everyone needs companionship.

“Going into rehabilitation at first was a terrifying experience, but I had reached a point where my favourite time of the day was bed, and my worst time was being awake.”

Mr Goyder, who now says he “is on top of the world”, blames the “alpha male mentality” as the reason for farming men in particular refusing to seek help for depression.

“No-one ever talks about their feelings on the land. Everyone has to hold this facade of being tough. Just grin and bare it,” he said.

“At the end of the day, everyone is human and we all have the right for love, sadness, passion and anger in life.

“There’s this culture in farming where men can’t express any of that, but they are actually really lonely. It’s such a slippery slope.

“These men dedicate their lives to a farm, so the idea that their work and their home can be snatched away because of debt … I can honestly see why people think there’s not another way out.”

The Ripple Effect, which will launch online next month, hopes to give a digital platform for farmers in rural communities who wish to express their experiences in an anonymous setting.

2016-05-06: TFGA, RAW get behind National Centre for Farmer Health supporting health checks – The Examiner

A FARM’S most valuable asset is its farmer, but it is often the thing that is neglected the most, according to the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH).

Tasmanian agriculture industry experts have thrown their support behind an initiative by the NCFH to encourage all farmers to get their health checked.

It can be as easy as popping down to the Rural Bank stand at Agfest and taking the free health check being offered by the centre.

Industry experts the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association and Rural Alive and Well threw their support behind the initiative at Agfest on Friday.

NCFH director Susan Brumby said the 20-minute health checks looked at blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, BMI and mental health.

In addition the centre is focusing on encouraging farmers to talk about bowel screening as well as protective equipment, and the use of ATVs.

“All farmers’ businesses depend on the health of the farmer, they need to be fit and healthy to do their farming duties,” Ms Brumby said.

2016-05-06: Farmer Safety & Farmer Health & Lifestyle Assessments from Agfest – Southern Cross News

National Centre for Farmer Health featured in an article on farm safety in Southern Cross News on 6th of May edition.

To view footage: Southern Cross News and view 6th of May edition then scroll to the 5.30 mark.

2016-05-05: Agri expo ready to roll for another year at Quercus Park near Carrick – The Mercury

A LANDMARK Tasmanian event bridging the urban-rural divide is ready to fling open its gates at Quercus Rural Youth Park near Carrick.

Agfest pumps more than $26 million into the state’s economy and is a chance for urban dwellers to get a glimpse of the state’s agricultural production, worth $1.44 billion and sourced from 3340 farms.

It’s been a tough year for many Tasmanian farmers, but the next three days will provide a chance to shed the burden of the big dry.

Working closely with Agfest representatives, the University of Tasmania has devised a bigger program this year for all ages including live “touch tanks” of marine creatures.

The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) will bring a hi-tech experience to the agri sector. The university tent can be found on site 404 along Fourth Avenue.

Agfest chairwoman Kate Coad said everything was coming along well and the recent rains were not causing concern.

“It might bit soft underfoot, but we have logistic plans ready for weather events,” Ms Coad said.

“A lot of setting up work is done and the site is looking good. We are excited about opening the gate to patrons.”

Agfest operations manager Ricky Edson said the drains were working well.

“It’s surprising really because a lot of the water has just soaked in because it was so dry,” he said.

This year a record 762 exhibitors have booked spots at Quercus Park, with more than 70,000 people expected to flood through the gates.

First held in 1983, Agfest is run solely by volunteers from Rural Youth Tasmania and every year the program is tweaked.

This year’s changes include the return of Equine Expo after a one-year hiatus.

Agfest is traditionally a one-stop shop to help farmers get the job done — from stocking and financial advice, to mental and physical health tips.

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association is encouraging everyone in the sector to take some time out.

TFGA chief executive Peter Skillern urges all farmers to visit the crew from the National Centre for Farmer Health, housed with their partner Rural Bank at site 113.

[… more]

To read the full article: 2016-05-05: ‘Agri expo ready to roll for another year at Quercus Park near Carrick’ – The Mercury

2016-05-09: ‘Farming’s not always easy’ – The Primary Producer

Maria Parente and her husband, Shaun Beasley, have been farming for over 35 years in the Bairnsdale area. Maria is also a psychologist and knows better than most that farming is not always an easy vocation.

During her 16 years practising in Bairnsdale and its surrounds, Maria has seen it all.

“I’ve seen firsthand, particularly through drought, how challenging it can be on the land.

“The vagaries of the weather or a change in commodity prices can really affect farmers.

A few years ago Maria knew a local farmer who subsequently suicided after a relationship breakdown and financial difficulties.

Sadly, each day in Australia seven people take their lives and many are farmers.

“Men, especially farmers, don’t communicate as well a women, but they need to know there is support out there,” Maria said.

Maria is part of the national steering group that has formed Ripple Effect – a partnership between leading rural advocacy, academic and health organisations to prevent farmer suicides.

With funding from beyond blue, The Ripple Effect steering group will soon launch an online platform where farmers can feel comfortable to share their experience of suicide – whether this is about thoughts of suicide, caring for someone who has attempted suicide or lost someone through suicide.

2016-03 ‘Talking Turkey – Rural Suicide Prevention’ – BLUES Country Magazine

Farmer Health e-News – May 2016

2016-04-26: ‘Health program in northern Victoria’ – The Australian Dairyfarmer

Sustainable Farm Families™

Northern Victorian farming men and women are being provided a unique opportunity to participate in the award-winning Sustainable Farm FamiliesTM (SFF) program, which focuses on the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers and their families.

The SFF program was developed specifically for farm men and women— by farm men and women—and involves interactive workshops that address their specific health, wellbeing and safety.

The Stanhope, Victoria, workshop will be held on Tuesday, June 21 and Wednesday, June 22.

Media Release – Calling for Expressions of interest for SFF™ Program

Make a difference to farmers’ lives

With State government funding, the highly successful and award winning Sustainable Farm Families™ (SFF™) programs are now available to farming communities across Victoria.

This program, the initiative of the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) being delivered in partnership with the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources and supporting health agencies, is specific to farm families addressing health, wellbeing and safety issues through a series of workshops.

NCFH is now calling for expressions of interest from health agencies, agricultural industry bodies and community groups to become involved in bringing the SFF™ program to their community in 2016-2017. Groups we have worked with include Landcare, CFA and United Dairy Farmers Victoria.
You will be working with an energetic and enthusiastic team based at the National Centre for Farmer Health eager to provide support to your organisation and farming community participating in the SFF™ program.
You can help make a difference to your farming community to stay healthy by submitting your interest now at www.farmerhealth.org.au/sustainable-farm-families/sff-programs or contact Tracey Hatherell, Program Coordinator on 5551 8588.