Fears for farmers’ mental health due to growing pressures

BY JEROME HUGHES

DESPERATE farmers in Donegal are said to be pinning all their hopes on the current dry spell lasting for at least a few weeks following a dire summer for silage last year and poor conditions so far this year.

Aside from the first week in September, farmers have had no respite from volatile weather conditions that have made their job stressful and frustrating.

“Farmers are just at their wits’ end. They’re scundered and fed up, to be honest with you. Farmers have had enough. The weather for farming has been unreal in this part of the world,” according to Donegal IFA Chairperson Joe Sweeney (pictured).

“Two or three days of dry weather is no good to a farmer. That won’t dry out fields that are saturated. That sort of went on all last year and it’s much the same this year,” he added.

It’s a complex story because as the saying goes, ‘a cold wet May means a barn full of hay.’ It was too dry for farmers in Donegal last May and June, and then far too wet in July.

“The ground has not been in good shape this year and last. They had to extend the slurry deadline twice last year. The whole of spring was like a winter with very little slurry getting out,” according to Mr Sweeney.

The local IFA chairperson is clearly worried about farmers’ mental health as they face higher levels of anxiety, depression and burnout.

“Farmers are very slow to talk. They take all these problems with them. In general, it’s a very lonely profession. Before Covid they would go to the mart but that has all changed.

“It’s all gone online so there is less meeting up in person and talking face to face about the ongoing challenges. We need to talk because at the moment everything is at a very low ebb,” suggests Mr Sweeney.

Aside from unfavourable weather, farmers also face many other challenges. For example, calving a cow or moving cattle requires help.

“There are no young people about. They’ve all gone to places like Australia and Canada. Young lads that you used to see running about are all away,” claims Mr Sweeney.

“They’ve gone for work and a better life. Many of them will come back but the vast majority will never go back into farming. I don’t see where the next generation of farmers will come from,” concluded the Donegal IFA chief.

On a more positive note, current weather conditions in Donegal are suitable for drying out land and the medium-term forecast also provides cause for optimism.

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