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All articles about Health and wellbeing

Farmers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing are often pushed to one side as the important tasks of managing a busy arable or livestock farm take over. See ideas to help you keep fit and healthy on the farm and combat rural isolation and stress.

Advice and tips

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

How on-farm adaptations are helping ease physical strain

Bad backs, bad necks, bad knees, bad shoulders. For many farmers, problems like these are simply part of the job – the result of years spent lifting, carrying, bending and…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Winter wellbeing strategies to boost business resilience

Anyone who is suffering, or suspects a staff member or colleague is struggling this winter should act early and use the wide range of dedicated agricultural support groups. Experts from…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Farm Doctor: What to do if you suffer from hearing loss

Working in agriculture can take its toll on hearing as farmers are exposed to many loud noises which, over time, may damage the inner ear. In fact, farming is an…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Considering a new future: Ways to deal with farming pressures

It is no secret that stress and poor mental health are endemic among the people who make their living from the land. As the UK moves away from direct farm…

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Case studies

LIVESTOCK

How off-farm pursuits are benefiting two livestock farms

A change is as good as a rest, the saying goes, and getting away from the farm to do something completely different is a great way to recharge the batteries.…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Video: Son's death leads family to back mental health charity

The parents of a 22-year-old farmer who took his own life are urging youngsters facing a similar situation to seek help and support. Leonard Eadon, from Napton, in Warwickshire, died…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Britain's Fittest Farmer 2021: 4 strong women's entries

Farmers Weekly's popular health and wellbeing competition, Britain's Fittest Farmer, is attracting entries from across the country.  There's still plenty of time for you to enter the contest if you're…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Fit2Farm: How a better work-life balance benefits farm

Achieving a better work-life balance is top of the list for Britain's farmers – many of whom are working long hours with little time off. The average farmer works 65…

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Community

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Farmers encouraged to take action on mental health this May

Farmers and rural communities are being encouraged to take practical steps to support mental wellbeing as Mental Health Awareness Week returns from 11-17 May with the theme “Action”. The Mental…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Stress, support and survival: One young farmer's journey

A young farmer who took on major responsibility for his family’s livestock business as a teenager has spoken openly about the pressures that pushed him to breaking point. Joe Barker…

BRITAIN'S FITTEST FARMER

Britain’s Fittest Farmer judge's no-nonsense training tips

Entries are flooding in for Britain’s Fittest Farmer 2026, and as the competition gears up, head judge Will Arden offers practical, no-nonsense training tips to build the strength, stamina, and…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

FCN helps raise bowel cancer awareness

A volunteer with rural charity the Farming Community Network (FCN) has spoken about the realities of caring for a loved one with cancer, as part of a new awareness campaign.…

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Insights

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Rural poverty in Britain: The crisis hiding in plain sight

Rural poverty in Britain is a structural and often overlooked issue that risks widening inequality and weakening local economies if left unaddressed. That is according to a report that highlights…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Level the Field survey reveals widespread physical challenges

Farming has always demanded physical resilience. But Farmers Weekly’s latest research suggests that for many in the industry, resilience is no longer about strength or stamina – it is about…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Why agriculture needs people with neurodivergent strengths

Agriculture needs people with different ways of thinking, and the industry should be encouraging them to work in the sector if it is to thrive. That’s according to Dr Temple…

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News

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Farming in spotlight as Hawkstone choir heads to BGT semis

Farmer-based singing sensation the Hawkstone Farmers Choir is set to return to the nation’s TV screens this weekend (Saturday 23 May), as the live semi-finals of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Over 1,000 Scots rural mental health first aiders trained

More than 1,000 people across Scotland have now been trained as mental health first aiders to support farmers and crofters, according to rural charity the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Tractor run raises thousands for DPJ Foundation

More than 120 tractors took part in the annual Drefach charity tractor run on Sunday (9 May), raising £3,670 for rural mental health charity the DPJ Foundation and Clwb Cledlyn…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Farming faces support Rsabi football fundraiser

Well‑known faces from across Scottish agriculture are set to swap wellies for football boots and go head‑to‑head in a sell‑out charity tournament raising funds for the farming charity Royal Scottish…

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Opinion

NEWS

Opinion: Simple self-help tools can be useful to farmers

An Irish podcaster known as “Blindboy”, famous for wearing a mask fashioned out of a shopping bag, may have one of the best tools for mental health. He highlights the…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Farmers offer their younger selves some pearls of wisdom

The benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing, and everyone makes mistakes. We can all learn from each other, too. With this in mind, Farmers Weekly and rural charity The…

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Video

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Sheep farmer shares breast cancer survival story

A Ceredigion sheep farmer is sharing her breast cancer experience ahead of World Cancer Day on Wednesday 4 February to encourage rural communities to recognise symptoms and seek medical advice…

Video: Britain's Fittest Farmer 2022 - meet the winners

The winners of Britain’s Fittest Farmer have been crowned after battling it out at the finals in Essex. The competition was fierce, the camaraderie strong, and our four winners get…

Video: Britain's Fittest Farmer 2022 - the qualifiers

Competitors from across the country converged on Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park for the qualifying rounds of Britain’s Fittest Farmer.  The Gloucestershire venue saw almost 60 entrants battle in out…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Video: Son's death leads family to back mental health charity

The parents of a 22-year-old farmer who took his own life are urging youngsters facing a similar situation to seek help and support. Leonard Eadon, from Napton, in Warwickshire, died…

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