Mental health and wellbeing supports for farmers right across the EU need to be easily accessible to farmers, the next European Commissioner for Agriculture has said.

A question from MEP Maria Walsh on supports for farmers’ mental and physical health at Commissioner-designate Christophe Hansen’s confirmation hearing provoked a candid and emotional response.

Hansen spoke of his brother, who had taken over their family farm, that died last year after falling downstairs in his home.

“He was 55 years old and he fell in the stairs. It is not because of mental health directly that he is dead, it was an accident, but I’m sure it is caused by many factors that impact the rural areas and impact our farmers."

Financial issues

“They are under pressure. They have financial issues that they can’t cope with. They have huge investments. They have subsidies that are not paid on time and the bank doesn’t forgive any delay.

“They don’t have time to consult somebody, but my brother did, he went in to see my mum to have a cup of coffee,” he said.

Hansen added that while this was a help, if supports had been available to him as a farmer, he could have accessed these.

“We need to bring services to those farmers that don’t want to speak, nobody wants to speak. Those people are under particular pressure and we need to take them into account,” he said.