EDM 772: Mental health in farming

That this House recognises the mental health crisis among the British agricultural sector; acknowledges that 95% of farmers in the UK under the age of 40 ranked poor mental health as one of the biggest hidden problems facing the industry; is concerned by RABI’s findings that revealed that one-in-five respondents to their Big Farming Survey knew someone within the sector who had taken their own life; further recognises the host of challenges facing British farmers from high energy, feed and fertiliser costs to unfair trade deals that have undercut the industry; understands that climate change has increased the risks of flooding and temperature increases that reduce crop yields and disrupt growing seasons; shows regret at the Government’s recent proposed changes to APR and BPR that will have a negative impact on family farms across the country that are already struggling to be profitable; commends the work of mental health charities such as the Farm Safety Foundation whose annual Mind Your Head campaign aims to raise awareness of this growing issue within farming; and calls on the Government to reverse the changes to APR, increase the farming budget by £1 billion a year and improve access to mental health services in rural areas by supporting the continued roll-out of mental health hubs.