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Campaigning students attend leading European mental health conference

Posted 9 October

Daniel Boomer, Zoe Legg and Darcy Johnson at the conference.

A major European conference has heard from Harper Adams students and staff who are campaigning to improve mental health in agriculture.

The students – each of whom are working to improve mental health among farmers – were accompanied to the CEJA   conference in Brussels by Professor David Christian Rose, Elizabeth Creak Chair in Sustainable Agricultural Change at the University. Their visit was supported by the Worshipful Company of Farmers.

The conference was the capstone event on a three-year programme to build mental resilience among the continent’s farmers, and Professor Rose was one of the experts invited to speak.

He said: “The event brought together young farmers, farming organisations, researchers, and decision-makers from across Europe.  

“The wellbeing challenges that farmers face across Europe are the same - from business-related pressures, social stressors, and issues related to policy change, rural crime, and public criticism.

“It is important that we share ideas and best practices of what works to support farmers, rather than focusing too heavily on further research which tries to further diagnose an already well-known problem."

 Professor Rose will be working with a number of Harper Adams students on research projects into farmers’ mental health later this year, including Agriculture student Daniel Boomer, from Co. Antrim, a Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) Ambassador who has featured in the charity’s videos.

He said: “When I was first asked to attend the conference, it was a no brainer. I felt very honoured to be part of something so important and special to me. 

 “When I got to the conference, I was inspired and quickly navigated and secured a network which is totally amazing that I will personally tap into to help me with my plans to make mental health better in our industry.

 “It's very important that we understand that it is not just Irish and British farmers that are struggling, that in fact all farmers in Europe have their own tailored issues and how best to solve them.”

Final year Agri-Food Marketing with Business student Darcy Johnson – a former Young Farmer Ambassador who campaigned on mental health with the NFU – also joined the delegation.

Darcy, from Devizes, Wiltshire, said: “It was striking to see that the stigma around mental health within the farming community isn't just bound to the UK, but across Europe too.

“We must work together as an industry to tackle this head-on to prevent people suffering in silence, or worse.

"The conference has certainly highlighted to me the importance of just talking. Getting off the farm when you can, giving your mate a ring, and engaging with the community around you to stop anyone feeling quite so alone in what can be a very isolating job."

Another former NFU Ambassador who also attended the conference was final year Agri-Food Marketing and Business student Zoe Legg, from Exeter.

Zoe – who has combined her studies not only with her own business but also with her own campaigning activity on the issue – said: “Mental Health in agriculture is a hugely important topic to be talking about right now. It doesn't distinguish borders or language barriers. It was clear that everyone present was passionate about finding solutions and mitigations to what is one of the biggest challenges facing the agricultural community.

"Talking about mental health, breaking down the stigma and highlighting resources for farmers is the only way we are going to table this increasing issue. CEJA's FARMRes report is another fantastic resource with clear actionable targets.

"The conference has given me even more hope that we will get policy and frameworks in place the help farmers from all nations.

“It was a privilege to have attended and it has given me even more motivation to keep sharing my journey and break down the barriers to talking about mental health."