Two new resources have been launched today (Tuesday, July 5) aiming to improve physical and mental health among farmers.

The Health and Safety Authority's (HSA's) Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (FSPAC) working group has developed a health and well-being guide and mental health awareness video.

The guide offers advice on the various health issues that pertain to farmers and their work.

The video highlights the story of a farmer who struggled with his mental health and how he reached out and took the first step to seek the support he needed.

The HSA outlined that research has shown farmers are at high risk of:

Launching the HSA supports at today’s Teagasc Beef Open Day 2022 in Co. Meath, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English said:

"My thanks to the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee at the HSA for developing these useful resources and for recognising the importance of promoting better health for farmers and their families," the minister added.

In publishing the guidance and mental health awareness video Pat Griffin, senior inspector at the HSA, commented:

"We are urging farmers to take time to assess their well-being and put plans in place on how they will address their health concerns.

"Taking the time to review your mental and physical health is important and in some cases a health issue that arises could significantly increase your risk of a serious farming injury or worse, a fatal accident," he advised.

Chair of the FSPAC, Ciaran Roche, explained that the committee was established to reduce the level of fatalities, serious injuries and ill-health in the Irish agriculture sector.

"Last year, we launched our Farm Safety Action Plan 2021-2024 where we identified five critical areas for attention including health and vulnerable persons.

"In delivering this guidance and the mental health awareness video we are delivering on the objectives of the action plan and we urge farmers to prioritise their health and overall well-being," he stated.

Both the 'Farmers’ Health and Wellbeing – A guide to staying healthy while farming' and the mental health awareness video are now available on the HSA website.