Poll: Members praise power of YFC support network

Young farmers have overwhelmingly indicated they have somebody they can speak to if they have a problem at work.

Farmers Weekly polled 100 YFC members, 83% of whom said they had somebody to share thoughts with if they had an issue, with 10% indicating that this was only the case sometimes. 

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“There’s always somebody to talk to in farming. This is especially the case with Young Farmers,” said Jonathan Melhuish from Liskeard YFC.

“Everybody is friends in their clubs and in your groups everyone goes out on a Monday and has a yarn at the end of the night.”

Mental health issues are coming to the fore in farming at the moment, especially for men, said Colin Poore, Hampshire YFC.

“A lot is being done to improve awareness and increase support for each other,” he added.

The mental health of the nation’s food producers and the isolation of farming has been highlighted in recent months after increases in mental health issues in agriculture have made national headlines.