NCFH expert features on podcast discussing farm safety for children
Farms are places where families work, live and connect – offering children an exciting environment to explore and experience. But farms are also workplaces, exposing children to a wide range of hazards not typically found in urban settings.
Did you know that children under the age of 15 represent approximately 14% of all farm-related fatalities in Australia? Unfortunately, this rate has remained consistent over a long period of time – at least 20 years!
During 2024, NCFH Associate Research Fellow, Jessie Adams, was invited by The Royal Children’s Hospital to join in a conversation with experts to discuss farm safety for children. Jessie is pictured below with Danyel Cucinotta from the Victorian Farmers Federation and Associate Professor Warwick Teague and Dr Steve Lacey from The Royal Children’s Hospital during the recording.
Electrical hazards on Australian farms: A rapid review of electrical perceptions in agriculture
Abstract
Introduction
Electrical hazards on farms are one of the occupational risks that contributes to farm injury and fatality. While electricity accounts for a low number of farm injuries each year, it is disproportionately fatal.
This study aims to raise the awareness of electrical safety on farms by providing an overview of the literature that explores the evidence of farmers’ perception of electrical risk. The review sought evidence of farmers’ efforts to promote electrical safety awareness and their uptake of electrocution prevention strategies.
Method
A rapid review was performed following the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Method Group and PRISMA guidelines, searching grey and peer-reviewed databases with criteria that included both farming and electrical risk. This resulted in 35 key articles of interest and five themes.
Results
The prevalent causes and contributing factors of electrical incidents and near misses on farms is not easily explained. Farmers overlook its presence as one of the hazards on farm, but at the same time the element of danger or threat of electrocution deters farmers from taking unnecessary risks.
The data to profile farmers at risk of electrical injury is inadequate, however the scope of risk is described through five themes: epidemiology, risk perception, exposure, intervention and prevention.
Conclusion
Due to the seriousness of electrical injury, intervention and prevention strategies on-farm need to specifically address electrical hazards – rather than incorporate electricity as a risk into all hazards found on farms. The review recommends future work that engages with Australian farmers and farm workers to better understand their experience of electricity exposures, the risks they are willing to take around overhead powerlines, and their insights into how to make working on farms safer.
A Year of Impact and Action
As 2024 races to a close, we thought we would stop and reflect on a year of meaningful action to support the health, wellbeing, and safety of farming communities across Australia.
The 2023/2024 financial year was another busy and eventful year. We were humbled by the passionate public outcry when funding for the NCFH was initially omitted from the 2024-25 budget. Hearing the stories from farmers whose lives had been positively impacted (and sometimes saved!) due to our programs was incredible. Here are just a few of the things we have achieved in this 12 month period.
Our NCFH team delivered 232 farmer-focused health checks at field days and agricultural events across four states—empowering farmers to take charge of their health, wellbeing and safety. We know these 20-minute assessments often have a profound effect on farmers who take part:
Female farmer [69] from Yea was followed up four weeks after her health assessment at the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo. She has since visited her GP regarding blood glucose levels and also visited a skin clinic where spots were removed. She said, “It was the best field day for health representation I have ever been to.”
Our commitment to collaboration continues to be at the heart of our work, with 11 new research, commercial, and health service partnerships established to strengthen our impact and expand our reach, including:
- A new AgriSafe service operating at Timboon District Health Service,
- Partnerships with CSL Seqirus and Primex supported our team to attend field days in Victoria, NSW and Queensland to provide Health & Lifestyle Assessments, and
- Research partnerships with La Trobe University, University of South Australia and Edith Cowan University to support innovative programs of research supporting farmer mental health.
Through 25 professional development workshops we connected with a national audience and equipped industry and health professionals—including trainee doctors and nurses, mental health professionals, rural educators and trusted advisors to farmers–with tools to better serve agriculture dependent communities and drive improved health and safety outcomes.
We should have more farmer specific training or education as an ongoing part of our MH skills set”
Mental Health Nurse (Victoria)
15 new publications continue to build much needed evidence to guide policy, programs and best practice. These ranged from peer-review journal articles about farm safety culture, farm safety decision making and climate-related health impact data to research reports on agriculture-dependent community resilience and links between regenerative agriculture and farmer wellbeing.
Our team has proudly contributed expertise to 21 stakeholder groups with regional, national and international influence. These range from European Union farm safety and wellbeing projects, contributing to Steering Groups run by the National Farmers Federation (farmer mental health) and the Rural Safety and Health Alliance (Ag Safety Data Network), drought resilience planning workshops and contributing to Ministerial roundtables to improve farm safety and farmer mental health. We also presented at 10 national and international conferences, including invited keynote presentations in Indonesia and Ireland, and contribution to industry-focused forums through Fair Farms, the National Farmers Federation, WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work NSW.
We have continued to keep farmers firmly at the focus of our work – hearing their voices in the co-design of 7 new research, education, and service delivery programs Particular highlights include two new farmer mental health initiatives: the piloting of the digital Mind Maintenance Toolkit, and an innovative new peer-led mental health support program for farming communities
Our programs this year have reached agricultural communities across Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland, and our resources have been provided to farmers from every state and territory of Australia – building on our commitment to make a difference to farmer’s lives across the nation.
Our team are practicing what we preach and taking a short break over the holiday season to (physical and mentally) rest and rejuvenate. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our incredible supporters and partners for helping us achieve these milestones.
Together, we’ll continue to drive action in 2025 for healthier, safer farming communities.
New Premises For National Centre For Farmer Health
The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is moving into a brand-new premises to continue its nation leading efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of farmers and their communities.
Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Michaela Settle today representing Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence to officially opened the new premises which marks a significant milestone in the growth of the Centre since its establishment in 2009.
Located in Hamilton, the new site sits within the local agriculture community and reinforces its role as a vital resource for the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers, farm workers and their families….
New trial now recruiting to help farming communities get Back on Track with their mental health
Recruitment is now open for farming community members in three key dairy farming regions across Victoria to take part in a free trial of a peer-guided, model of mental health support.
The feasibility trial is part of the Back on Track program – led by the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) with funding from the Gardiner Foundation – which is aimed at farming community members who are experiencing low mood or depressive feelings. The evidence-based program was co-developed with the farming community over the past five years to ensure it caters to the needs of rural people.
The trial is now recruiting community members in Wellington, Towong and Corangamite Shires. It will explore the feasibility of a new support model that involves trained and mentored coaches providing accessible and culturally appropriate mental health services to farmers, farm workers and other people in agriculture-dependent communities, ensuring they receive the support they need during challenging times.
“When people in farming communities face multiple stressful events – whether that be extreme weather events, market or financial pressures, succession challenges or other business or personal pressures – mental wellbeing is often under threat,” NCFH Director Alison Kennedy said.
“We know that mental health support is not always accessible in farming communities and, when support is available, the providers don’t always have a good understanding of the challenges farmers face. This can put farmers off from accessing these important services.”
The 10-session Back on Track program involves weekly one-hour sessions between a coach and participant, which can be held in-person or online. The coaches have been trained in ‘behavioural activation’ – a practical mental health approach focusing on how positive behaviours and habits can positively affect mood. Coaches are living and working in farming communities themselves and understand the nature of farming, including the problems and stresses that come with working on the land.
“When people experience low mood, they generally stop doing the things that bring them enjoyment and satisfaction – the very things we need to be doing to feel good. Behavioural activation turns this around by helping people identify what activities bring them a sense of enjoyment or satisfaction, and scheduling this into their day,” Alison said.
“We’re now inviting farming community members who are experiencing low mood or depression to participate in this innovative, practical approach to help improve their mental health. This phase of the trial is only running for the next few months, so we urge interested people to get in touch to find out more.”
For more information about the Back on Track trial or to get involved, visit farmerhealth.org.au/back-on-track.
Back on Track is supported by an experienced team of researchers and clinicians from Deakin University, Western District Health Service, La Trobe University, the University of South Australia and Edith Cowen University.
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For more information, please contact:
Dr Alison Kennedy – Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: 03 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970 | E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net
2024 Farmer Health Symposium: Key Moments and Insights
This month, we’re taking a moment to reflect on something special—our 2024 Farmer Health Symposium and Parliament House event in Canberra in August. As our first time bringing Farmer Health to the nation’s capital, it was an experience that will stick with us for a while.
A highlight of Farmer Health @ Parliament House (Day 1) was being able to present to several key politicians—including the Hon Julie Collins – Minister for Agriculture; the Hon Emma McBride – Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention; the Hon Senator Hollie Hughes – Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention—and a number of MPs from around the country with farmers a key group within their constituencies. With support from NFF President David Jochinke, we were able to highlight the value of supporting farmer health, wellbeing and safety, and showcase a range of our farmer-focused programs. We even had some brave souls take up the offer to experience our Health & Lifestyle Assessments firsthand!
At the Farmer Health Symposium (Day 2), the key takeaway was clear: collaboration among stakeholders is vital to driving positive change in the health, wellbeing, and safety of Australian farmers, their families, and agricultural communities. Our speakers and panel members were fantastic, sparking lively discussions and laying the groundwork for new collaborations. With powerful insights from keynote speaker Professor Faye McMillan and international guest Dr. David Meredith, and with panels tackling issues like farmer involvement in health initiatives, support for diverse agricultural workers, and the specific safety needs of farming women, it was a day full of inspiration.
With over 60 attendees, the enthusiasm in the room confirmed the need to keep these vital conversations going. This event has set the stage for our future farmer health, wellbeing and safety programs and projects.
We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsors— Deakin University’s Rural Health Network, Western District Health Service, Dairy Australia, the Gentlemen of Geelong, and Udder Delights—for their support in bringing our event to life. A huge thank you also goes to our panel members and guest speakers, who generously gave their time and shared their expertise in support of our cause in shaping tomorrow’s healthiest farming communities.
Lastly, a shoutout to our dedicated National Centre for Farmer Health team, whose hard work behind the scenes and on research, education and service delivery is crucial to our Centre’s success in continuing the path to create healthier, happier and safer farmers.
Outcomes from this event will help us design our roadmap for collaboration on farmer health, wellbeing, and safety in Australia. There’s plenty of work ahead, but for now, we’ll take a moment to celebrate what we’ve achieved and get cracking on what’s to come!
– Dr Alison Kennedy, Director.
Roadmap to navigate national collaboration on farmer health, wellbeing and safety in Australia
Consolidating strong working partnerships and continuing ongoing government support were the central themes to emerge from last week’s National Centre for Farmer Health Parliament House event and Symposium in Canberra.
Keynote speakers, expert panellists and policy makers all identified these two elements as among the most important in maintaining the health, wellbeing, and safety of Australia’s farmers, farming families and the agricultural workforce.
National Centre for Farmer Health Director, Associate Professor Alison Kennedy, said the symposium emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration – including industry bodies, regulators, workplaces, researchers, government and policy makers.
“Bringing together these leaders to share their knowledge will now allow us to generate actions to positively transform health, wellbeing, and safety practices in agriculture-dependent communities,” A/Prof Kennedy said.
“With more than 60 symposium attendees from across Australia, the outcomes of the symposium will be a springboard for our programs and projects into the future.
“And we’ll also continue to advocate to governments at all levels about the importance of ongoing funding for the NCFH as well as the contributions received from our other partners,” she said.
Keynote speaker Professor Faye McMillan, Australia’s first Indigenous community pharmacist, Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner and Professor of Indigenous Health at University of Technology Sydney officially opened the Symposium.
Later guests were joined via video-link from Ireland by Dr David Meredith, of the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Teagasc). Dr Meredith described the importance of developing meaningful famer health solutions informed by agriculture’s grassroots, but influencing policy at a national (and international) level.
Attendees heard expert panel members from across the agricultural sector speak about their personal experiences on integrating local supports to improve mental health promotion and prevention initiatives and future strategies to effectively address the health, wellbeing, and safety needs of a diverse agricultural population.
During the first panel session clinical psychologist Associate Professor Kate Gunn spoke of the importance of involving farmers in the design and development of initiatives addressing farmer health, wellbeing and safety. “Even though it may not always be possible to take on every suggestion made, it’s critical that farmers are involved, have a voice and feel their input is heard and valued”.
Sarah Crosthwaite from Open Road Counselling and a Nuffield Scholarship winner told the session about the importance of complementing powerful lived experience stories with positive examples of seeking help and information about available supports. “It’s not just about a story, it’s about giving people in the room the encouragement and resources to take action and improve their wellbeing.”
Justin Koschitzke, a former St Kilda AFL football star and a mental health advocate, drew on his background and his own experience of telling his story to create positive change in farming communities.
The second panel session explored the changing nature of the agricultural workforce with a focus on current and future strategies to effectively address the health, wellbeing, and safety needs of a diverse agricultural population.
Panellist Mick Fuller, a specialist risk management and safety executive, told the session about steps the dairy industry was taking to collaboratively address risks to the health, wellbeing and safety of workers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Mick outlined opportunities to be working with a range of partners from education providers, labour hire companies and employers to ensure more effective and accessible training and induction materials.
The founder of the Ability Agriculture Foundation which enables people with disabilities to enter or remain, thrive and succeed in agriculture Josie Clarke spoke about the development of Ability Agriculture – what started as a social movement is fast becoming a platform for advocacy, education and entrepreneurship to improve opportunities for people of all abilities in agriculture.
FarmSafe Australia Chief Executive Stevi Howdle drew on both her personal experience of balancing motherhood with farming, and her professional role at FarmSafe – highlighting the need for improved consideration of farming womens’ safety. “It wasn’t until I became pregnant and then had a young child, that I realised just how challenging this can be. There is inadequate information and resources out there to support farming women at this critical time of their lives. This is particularly important when we are trying to attract women to be part of the agricultural workforce”.
Following an afternoon of interactive workshops, it was clear that this was only the start of an ongoing national conversation and a launching point for expanded and new collaborative partnerships. NCFH Director said “the room was buzzing and alive with new ideas and opportunities and there was a collective call for these gatherings to continue. Long-term funding is critical to supporting improved farmer health, wellbeing and safety. But it also requires a collective commitment to come together and work collaboratively, to ensure funds are used efficiently and effectively for evidence-based initiatives that reach every farmer. That commitment was clearly in the room here today.”
The symposium was supported by Deakin University’s Rural Health University Network, with sponsorship support from Dairy Australia, Gentlemen of Geelong and Udder Delights.
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For more information, please contact:
A/Prof Alison Kennedy
Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: (03) 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970
E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net | W: www.farmerhealth.org.au
Finding the keys to unlock the full potential for farming in Australia
Big questions about the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers, farming families and the agricultural workforce will be explored in Canberra next month.
The National Centre for Farmer Health is hosting a symposium in the national capital to highlight how governments and policy makers, industry bodies, regulators, workplaces and researchers can all play their part to improve our agricultural sector.
National Centre for Farmer Health Director, Associate Professor Alison Kennedy, said the symposium will emphasise the importance of every stakeholder collaborating to achieve positive outcomes for Australia’s farming communities.
“Our goal is to bring together leaders to share knowledge and generate action that will positively transform health, wellbeing, and safety practices in agriculture-dependent communities.
“Acknowledged leaders and specialists from across a variety of agricultural pursuits will be posing the questions and seeking the answers to many of the issues which confront farmers and their communities across Australia,” A/Prof Kennedy said.
On Wednesday, August 14, members of the public can attend the symposium which will focus on advancing health, wellbeing and safety in agriculture.
Across a day featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops, a group of national and international experts will discuss how the sector can work together for transformative action.
The symposium will be officially opened by Professor Faye McMillan, Australia’s first Indigenous community pharmacist, a Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner and Professor of Indigenous Health at University of Technology Sydney.
One of the featured guest speakers is Dr David Meredith, from the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Teagasc), who will join via video-link from Ireland. Dr Meredith is an international leader in his field with extensive expertise in understanding the complex social and economic factors that influence farmer behaviour and rural population dynamics.
As well as the guest speakers there will be two panel sessions, followed by an opportunity to network over lunch, and then concurrent workshops will round out the day.
In the first panel session, the discussion will be on the importance of integrating personal experience with evidence and appropriate local supports to improve mental health promotion and prevention initiatives.
Bringing their insights to this session will be Associate Professor Kate Gunn, as well as Sarah Crosthwaite and Justin Koschitzke.
A/Prof Gunn is a clinical psychologist leading a team of behavioural science-focused researchers at UniSA who work with the rural sector to co-develop meaningful, evidence-based solutions. Finding creative ways to improve farmers wellbeing, prevent suicide and improve rural cancer outcomes are her professional passions.
Sarah is a rural person at heart with a background in sheep and now dairy farming. This has resulted in a career as a rural outreach worker and the establishment of Open Road Counselling, a therapeutic service tailored for farmers, their families and farm workers. In 2023 Sarah was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to understand how farming communities worldwide are being supported to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Justin is a former St Kilda AFL football star and a mental health advocate. No stranger to farm life, Justin has navigated his own mental health challenges, allowing his insights to resonate deeply with the many rural communities he engages with.
The second panel session will explore the changing nature of the agricultural workforce and discuss current and future strategies to effectively address the health, wellbeing, and safety needs of a diverse agricultural population.
The panel members will include Mick Fuller, Josie Clarke and Felicity Richards.
Mick is a specialist risk management and safety executive who has experience Australia-wide, improving the health, safety and wellbeing of workers on farms and in associated industries. Mick is currently the National People Lead at Dairy Australia.
Josie is a founder of the Ability Agriculture Foundation which enables people with disabilities to enter or remain, thrive and succeed in agriculture. When father Glen became a paraplegic when she was just five, Josie saw first-hand the impact this had on her farming family. Now Ability Agriculture supports farmers with disabilities.
Among a multitude of roles, Felicity is the chair of FarmSafe Australia. A lawyer with policy and regulation experience, the call back to the land was too hard to resist. She also manages a beef and lamb operation with husband Mark on Flinders Island and near Launceston in Tasmania.
The two interactive workshops in the afternoon will allow a deep dive into the following topics:
- Collaborating for Safer Farmers: National interests and place-based approaches.
- How do we reach every Australian farmer? Conceptualising frameworks for scaling up evidence-based health, wellbeing and safety programs nationally.
At Parliament House the day before the symposium Federal MPs from all parties will be given an opportunity to hear first-hand about the farmer health, wellbeing and safety topics from the National Centre for Farmer Health team through a series of five lightning presentations.
These sessions will be introduced by the Honourable Emma McBride, MP, the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Rural and Regional Health, Senator Hollie Hughes, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and David Jochinke, President of the National Farmers Federation.
The 90-minute session will also allow MPs to experience the Centre’s famous Farmer Health Checks – a service that is highly valued by Australian farmers and agricultural workers.
The symposium is supported by Deakin University’s Rural Health University Network, with sponsorship support from Dairy Australia and the Gentlemen of Geelong.
Registration for the symposium is still available by visiting the NCFH website at:
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For more information, please contact:
A/Prof Alison Kennedy
Director, National Centre for Farmer Health
P: (03) 5551 8533 | M: 0407 549 970
E: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net | W: www.farmerhealth.org.au
Shifting Gears for National Farm Safety Week
The Allan Labor Government is putting workplace safety for agriculture workers first this National Farm Safety Week, with funding to provide free access to educational resources, aimed at equipping young people with farm safety knowledge.
Acting Minister for Agriculture Steve Dimopoulos today announced a $100,000 grant to the National Centre for Farmer Health to support the delivery of farm safety education in schools, teaching young people about the risks they are exposed to when visiting, living and working on farms.
Agriculture makes up two per cent of Victoria’s workforce while having 14 per cent of workplace fatalities. In 2022/23 young people aged 15 to 19 comprised 6.3 per cent of total workplace injuries and 13.3 per cent of non-work related injuries on farms.
The ‘Shifting Gears’ teaching resource will provide educators with materials to facilitate meaningful discussions about farm safety within their classrooms. The resources have been funded through the Farming Safe and Well program and will be available for use from January 2025.
This initiative aligns with the theme of this year’s National Farm Safety Week theme, ‘In Safe Hands’, which emphasises the importance of keeping our farmers and their families safe.
Throughout farm safety week, Farmsafe Australia will share practical safety tips from farmers to increase the safety of everyday tasks and foster a more safety focused farming culture.
The Labor Government’s investment in ‘Shifting Gears’ follows the $900,000 provided to the National Centre for Farmer Health in the Victorian Budget 2024/25 for the delivery of agriculture-focused health and medical services, research, and education which will lead to direct benefits for farmers and their communities.
For more resources to support safety, health and wellbeing on farms, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.
Quote attributable to Acting Minister for Agriculture Steve Dimopoulos
‘Through the National Centre for Farmer Health and Shifting Gears, we are empowering the next generation of farmers and agricultural professionals to prioritise safety in all aspects of their work.’
Quote attributable to Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora
‘Together we can ensure that our farmers and agricultural communities are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to truly be in safe hands.’
Quote Attributable to National Centre for Farmer Health Senior Lecturer, Education Lead Dr Jacquie Cotton
‘We are pleased to be able to expand our current suite teacher resources to enable even more farm safety discussions in the classroom. It’s important that young people in agriculture can continue see themselves as having a role in continuing those safety conversations on farms, Shifting Gears brings those voices front and centre.’
A rapid review of leading indicators to measure Australian farm safety culture
Abstract:
Agriculture accounts for over half of Australia’s land use therefore the farmers managing this land need to be safe at work. This paper offers measuring farm safety culture as a way to overcome the stagnation in the trend of fatal farm injury burden. To work towards achieving a way to measure farm safety culture, this research reviewed the leading indicators of safety. Following PRISMA guidelines, we screened for globally significant literature in the field of methodologies to measure safety climate and safety culture. We performed a rapid review of literature resulting in nineteen articles that add to our understanding of how to create and re-adapt existing questionnaires and produce validated metrics. The leading indicators were grouped into 8 dimensions where we found a translational disconnect between safety for organisational structures and safety for family farm businesses. This paper provides recommendations for government, safety regulators, policymakers, and industry of the leading indicators that may be applicable for measuring farm safety culture for Australian farmers.
Ensuring greater utility of climate-related acute health impact data for health services and municipal public health planning in rural and regional Australia
Summary:
Letter to the Editor describing the importance of utilising health data from rural and regional Australia. This research found 50% of presentations to rural and regional hospitals in south-west Victoria on high heat days were to hospitals not required to report to the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset, meaning this data is not considered during planning and policy development.
National Centre for Farmer Health has $900k funding confirmed
ABC Rural / By Warwick Long, Angus Verley, and Emma Field
Posted Wed 15 May 2024 at 11:25amWednesday 15 May 2024 at 11:25am, updated Wed 15 May 2024 at 5:52pm
| Funding for the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) has been confirmed after the centre previously said the Victorian government had cut their funding. The Victorian government has called representatives of the National Centre for Farmer Health to inform them the funding has been confirmed for another year. A spokesperson from the government said the funding had been found outside the budget through “other sources”. “We’re continuing our support of the centre with a $900,000 investment next financial year — as we have done every year, when in government,” the spokesperson said. “The NCFH plays an important role identifying and preventing chronic disease and safety risk factors in the agriculture and farming community.” Board members of the centre said they were relieved after spending the last few days holding emergency meetings about its future. “It was devastating when we lost the funding and really disappointing,” chair Greg Walcott said. “You’ve got to give credit to the government. We were angry with the decision originally but give credit to someone who has made a mistake and reversed it.” “That’s not usually happening anywhere but certainly [not] in politics. The centre, which is based in Hamilton, south-west Victoria, runs a series of preventative programs to improve farmer physical and mental health, improve workplace safety, and conduct research. Prior to the funding reinstatement, NCFH director Alison Kennedy said the government had confirmed $900,000 in annual funding had been cut. “We have had [the cut] confirmed from staff at both the Department of Health and Agriculture Victoria,” Ms Kennedy said. NCFH used this funding to run core activities and attract funding and grants for health projects and research from around Australia. A dangerous time for farming In 2022, Safe Work Australia listed agriculture, forestry, and fishing as having the highest fatality rate of any industry in the country and work from the National Centre for Farmer Health has been trying to address that issue. Ms Kennedy said the organisation tracked the success of each of its programs. “Farmers have come back to us on a pretty regular basis to say, ‘That actually did save my life,'” she said. “We were able to demonstrate that we save the health system money by running health check programs by preventing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and absolutely saved lives.” Andrew Perry from Gobur near Alexandra in regional Victoria is one of the farmers who has relied on the services of the NCFH during downturns in the dairy industry and again after widespread flooding in 2022. “These people do terrific work and they keep helping us out,” he said. “Agriculture is $19.5 billion of Victoria’s GDP annually and yet what are we doing [cutting funding], we are pulling away the services that make us the lucky state and the lucky country. “When I say I received help, I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for these good people.” Uncertain future for farmer health The organisation is a national centre by name but has always run with Victorian funding. Directors were meeting this week to decide the centre’s future with limited funding. “There will be an impact on our ability to deliver direct services to farming communities,” Ms Kennedy said. “We may have to cut back on health checks at field days, our agri-space clinics, the sort of research we can do, particularly long-term larger-size projects. “It will have an impact on the sort of education we can deliver from the postgraduate level down to secondary schools and that direct communication with farming populations themselves.” While the centre has had its funding confirmed for the next year, its future beyond that is still uncertain. The loss of funding in the future would also affect the regional Victorian town of Hamilton, where the National Centre for Farmer Health is based. Ms Kennedy said bringing skilled medical professionals and researchers to a regional community that needed them was critical. |