The Lord Bishop of Hereford

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue in your Lordships’ House. I declare my interest as a patron of the Agricultural Chaplains Association and bishop of the most rural diocese in England. Clergy and agricultural chaplains across my diocese, and indeed the nation, are on the front line of the pastoral response to the mental health crisis among agricultural workers. They are so often the ones who show up in times of crisis and sit with people at their moments of greatest need. They provide comfort to the families of the recently bereaved and take funerals. Although it is imperfect, evidence suggests that British farming communities experience mental health concerns and likely rates of suicide disproportionate to the general population of Britain. The Royal Agriculture Benevolent Institution’s 2021 Big Farming Survey found that almost a fifth of respondents knew someone who had attempted suicide in the last five years. Indeed, 94% of British farmers agreed that poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today, according to the Farm Safety Foundation’s 2025 report. There are multiple reasons for this. Farmers are the worst affected by the recent turbulence brought on by climate change. In only the last 18 months, we have experienced our two hottest summers on record and an extremely wet winter. Farmers are devastated by the loss of their crops due to wildfires, flooding and extreme heat, and the pests and diseases they bring. They have been forced to eat into their winter forage reserves, rework irrigation systems and add flood defences. The threat of extreme weather and climate change is keeping farmers awake at night. They are faced with tackling the worst bluetongue outbreak the nation has faced and bearing the costs of veterinary bills, vaccines and other associated expenses. The financial burden is considerable, but so too is the emotional strain of dealing with disease, uncertainty and livestock losses. I will take a moment to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Mallalieu—I hope she will forgive me if I have pronounced that wrong—for her written support ahead of today’s debate. She drew my attention to the extraordinary pressures being felt across the wider agricultural support network. She told me that kennels collecting fallen stock in her area have at times visited as many as 140 farms in a single day—a stark illustration of the enormous strain that climate-related pressures are placing on the wider industry. Secondly, as farmers consider their approach to the future, they do so against a backdrop of continual policy and regulatory change. The 2023 report from the Defra Select Committee in the other place on rural mental health highlighted the stress caused by changing regulatory frameworks and support schemes. Farmers must necessarily take a long-term view of their business, yet find themselves navigating a constantly shifting landscape of environmental incentives, land management requirements and biodiversity obligations. Farmers are resilient and, even if they disagree with policy, they will make it work if they have consistency. The current challenging environment in food security suggests the need for significant cross-party collaboration for a longer-term stable regulatory and policy framework. Alongside this uncertainty sits intense financial pressure. Rising costs for fertiliser, fuel and machinery have squeezed already tight margins. For many, concerns around their farm’s long-term viability remain a constant source of anxiety. A remarkable farming support charity in my diocese, We Are Farming Minds, reports growing numbers of farmers struggling with money worries, insecure tenancies, family disputes over farm succession, legal issues and the challenge of keeping businesses afloat amid volatile markets—paperwork and administration add a further burden. A fifth of those living rurally report poor mental health due to social isolation. For agricultural workers, this is exacerbated by long hours working alone and the increasing closure of farmers’ markets, which are places of community as well as commerce. Many also express a sense that farming is undervalued by wider society, despite the essential role that farmers play—a point well made by the noble Lord, Lord Deben, in his supplementary question earlier today. At the same time, cultures of resilience within farming communities can create a stigma around discussing mental ill-health, discouraging people from seeking support when they need it most. Of course, in times of mental crisis, many farmers have access to firearms and agricultural chemicals, making timely and preventive support critical. Yet there are also reasons for hope. Across the country, communities, charities and front-line organisations are developing innovative ways to reach those who might never walk through the door of a traditional mental health service. Some organisations choose to bring life-saving community to farmers, such as the monthly butty van—a joint project between the diocese of Hereford and the Methodist Church which offers a breakfast, hot drink and conversation to farmers. Others organise pop-up well-being clinics at livestock markets and agricultural shows, such as health huts, which offer both mental health advice and medical assistance. Still others train the people who farmers already trust. The DPJ Foundation equips industry professionals to spot mental health symptoms and runs a “share the load” counselling service. I am grateful to have met the Minister earlier this week to discuss the well-being of farming communities, and I thank her for her sustained advocacy on behalf of farmers and the careful attention she has given to the many interconnected pressures affecting the sector, from mental health and welfare support through to the practical regulatory challenges that shape everyday life on farms. I warmly welcome the Government’s farmer welfare grant—a timely commitment of £1.5 million over the coming three years. It is heartening that the Minister recognises that behind every harvest and herd are men and women carrying burdens of isolation, anxiety and financial pressure that too often go unseen. Through this funding, projects such as the butty van will be better equipped to continue their vital work. Of course, I recognise the financial constraints under which the Government are operating and the difficult choices Ministers face across public spending. In that context, this funding is a welcome and valuable investment. However, grants are a precision tool: their scope is limited, their budgets finite and their duration temporary. While this funding is due to run until 2029, charities and support organisations need longer-term certainty if they are to recruit and retain skilled staff, build trusted relationships within communities and plan effectively for the future. I hope, therefore, that the Minister will consider how this promising start might be developed into a more sustainable funding settlement. However, as the Minister and I discussed in person, improving mental health in farming is not simply about responding to crisis; it is about creating the conditions in which farmers and farming can thrive. The Minister has rightly been engaging with practical issues such as on-farm reservoirs and water storage, and I welcome efforts to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens where possible. Prevention and early intervention should be at the heart of the Government’s approach. If awareness of mental health challenges becomes second nature across the sector, we can identify problems sooner, connect people with support earlier and help prevent avoidable tragedies. In doing so, we can build a healthier farming workforce and more resilient rural communities.