Overview
- Official ONS figures show 47 suicides among people working in farming and agriculture in England and Wales in 2024, roughly one a week.
- The Farm Safety Foundation says farmer mental health is at a four-year low, with 95% of under‑40s viewing mental health as the sector’s biggest hidden issue.
- LRSN reports a 249% rise in mental-health related contacts over six years, identifying 11 people at risk of suicide last year and noting more diagnosed depression, anxiety and substance misuse among younger men.
- Farmers and industry leaders cite operating losses, rising costs, long hours and isolation, alongside severe weather and crop failures that left some with nothing to harvest or sell.
- Charities warn of a growing loneliness problem among older farmers, while Defra points to a £500,000 Farmer Welfare Grant launched in 2024 to support mental health initiatives.