Shining a light on wellbeing and support

Widely regarded as one of the top events in the UK agriculture calendar, it continues to develop its appeal to all sectors of the industry. The 240-plus exhibitors this year included a broad range of trade stands, from levy boards and machinery dealers to nutritional experts and animal healthcare suppliers.

Organisations also attending were the two charities – RSABI and Farmstrong Scotland.

AgriScot podcast host Jane Craigie, caught up with chairs Jimmy McLean and John Scott ahead of the event.

John Scott Jimmy, chair of RSABI and John, chair of Farmstrong Scotland, chatted through the important work that both charities are doing to support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of those in the agricultural industry in Scotland.

Together they discussed the importance of talking openly about the challenges faced in the industry and why it is vital to talk and support one another.

Jimmy spent his career as a technical adviser, helping those dealing with financial problems, and latterly worked with RBS and Natwest looking at agricultural policy and how banks worked with farmers. Now retired, he is a trustee and chair of the board for RSABI.

Jimmy McClean “At 127 years old, RSABI continues to evolve as farming needs evolve. The background of the charity was to support farmers and farm workers who were facing financial difficulty, but over the years, as with farming, this has changed considerably.

“We still provide financial support where it’s needed, providing around £250,000 annually to farming families who have fallen on hard times, but more of our time these days is spent providing practical and emotional support and signposting people to getting the help they need.”

John, a farmer from Easter Ross, helped to bring Farmstrong to Scotland following his involvement in the Scottish Doug Avery Tour in 2018 that shared how the programme was helping farmers in New Zealand to be better aware of their wellbeing, the ways they could improve it, and the impact of doing so.

“Improving wellbeing is about the little habits you can pick up to change your lifestyle and actually prioritise yourself on a day-to-day basis.

“Farmstrong promotes the five ways to wellbeing, which are simple steps people can take to support their wellbeing, and a subtle way to get people thinking.

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“It has been really satisfying and exciting to see the discussion around wellbeing throughout the industry open up over the last few years, and that’s not just through the work of Farmstrong. With other organisations like RSABI, too, and as a nation in general, we are talking more. We’re ready to talk about how we feel, earlier.”

The Budget changes in agricultural policy have been top of the agenda in discussions recently, with many particularly focused on the impact they might have on farmers’ mental health.

Jimmy said: “So much of what we’re facing at the moment is uncertainty. It’s not just this one change, it’s lots of changes in the way support is provided, being more exposed to world markets and the volatility that brings. It’s the uncertainty that drives concern and has an impact on people, and that has increased the demand for some of our services and will continue to do so.”

John believes that farmers having a better understanding of their own wellbeing will help them adapt to changes in business and the industry.

“We can’t control things out with the farmgate, but within our boundaries and our people we can. It’s about how we, within an industry, position ourselves so we’re ready to handle the changes that come our way.

“Historically, as farmers, we should remind ourselves that we are good at handling adverse situations – the weather we get thrown at us as an example. We are good at handling some pretty difficult challenges.”

For the first time, Farmstrong held a business breakfast at AgriScot with guest speakers John Kerr and Nicola Wordie, chaired by Farmstrong board member Rebecca Dawes. They discussed the ways they are working towards a healthier work-life balance and highlighting the benefits this can also bring to business. Common threads included resilience, surrounding yourself with good people, giving back to the industry through organisations such as RNCI and RHET, taking time out for exercise, and connecting.

Both John and Nicola highlighted the positive benefits of attending events such as AgriScot for improving their wellbeing, leading to a positive impact when they return to their farm businesses.

RSABI held its AGM at AgriScot and took the opportunity to carry out some vital fundraising through the sale of Christmas items. It also set up its highly popular Health Hut – not only important to measure the physical health of those involved in the industry, but also as a tool to kick off important conversations and find out how people are feeling.

Jimmy concluded the podcast by saying: “Getting people together at a critical time of year when the clocks have just changed, and the days are shorter, to have that time to chat, to meet people – ­I think it’s great.

“I’ve watched AgriScot develop from the small dairy event it was to being a huge and popular event for all sectors in farming. Congratulations to all the board members, and the current chair, Robert Neill, for developing what is one of the premier events in the country now.”