Written by John Swire
The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) recognises the increased pressures being faced by those farming the land they do not own and offers the following advice during this difficult time.
As each day passes, it seems new challenges are presented to our farmers including Coronavirus and the impact of the measures to control its spread. While many write about saving lives not livelihoods, for those in the agricultural industry, when people lose their business, they can lose their homes, marriages, mental health and often their lives as well.
TFA Adviser, Adriana Vaux, said “It’s of great concern that our farmers are finding themselves in yet another difficult and stressful position this year. The Coronavirus follows weeks of challenges from flooding and volatile markets, to the growing veganism and anti-meat agendas. What a lot of people do not realise is that stress can lead to compromised mental health. This can have significant implications not only to themselves but their family and business. It is vital that farmers, like workers in any other industries, are properly supported and know how to access help when they need it. Identifying stress, and looking after your mental health, is incredibly important for every single person, especially in these uncertain times”.
“At a time in which farmers are already seeing a negative impact on their income, now more than ever farmers need support, especially those who farm land they do not own. It is incredibly important that the difficulties faced, such as the ability to pay farm rent is acknowledged. Each and every farmer needs to be supported, whether this is by their landlord, landlord’s agent, membership organisation or Government,” said Miss Vaux.
“It’s a fact that self-isolation and social distancing is going to be a huge part of our daily lives for some time to come. While many in the UK are facing restrictions on their freedom, for once farmers have a huge advantage over many. They have the space around their holding to get on, and to some degree, carry on,” said Miss Vaux.
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