A recently-completed study has shown that 27% of Irish farmers report their wellbeing as being "poor" or "below average", according to Teagasc.

A separate study has found that the most common sources of work-related stress are weather, workload and money, Teagasc said.

Reading University’s Dr David Christian Rose, who has studied farmers’ mental health, has said that it is a unique combination of stressors that come together to distress farmers.

“Farmers face a unique set of acute and chronic stressors including farm bureaucracy, climatic conditions, animal and crop disease outbreaks, time pressures, work-place hazards, rural crime, finance, isolation, machinery breakdowns and media criticism,” commented Dr Rose.

Shocks

“External shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit can generate new acute stressors for farmers and rural communities and intensify existing chronic stressors.

“Together, they can create distress and uncertainty for many and negatively impact individuals’ mental health and wider community and sector resilience,” she explained.

Teagasc will hold its seminar on the Teagasc Conference Centre in Ashtown, Dublin 15, on 16 May from 2pm to 4pm, as part of the BeSafe Project.

Those interested can find out more here.