Farmer suicide toll 'national disgrace'

The farmer suicide rate appears to be going unnoticed and funding to deal with it is lacking.

New Zealand's farmer suicide rate is a "national disgrace" with a toll going largely unnoticed, Federated Farmers says.

After suicide statistics were released this year, Federated Farmers asked Coronial Services to refine the figures to show how many farmers committed suicide in 2013/14, said Federated Farmers health and safety spokeswoman Katie Milne.

"The answer was a staggering 22 farmers, including seven women, showing how mental health on-farm is not a male preserve.

"Six farmers were under the age of 24 and 10 over the age of 50.

"Meanwhile, WorkSafe NZ's provisional toll for agricultural deaths, covering the 2013 calendar year, stands at 18.

"I don't for a minute wish to downplay the importance of health and safety but you are also talking a huge gap in funding for what is more visible."

Ms Milne said 169 farmers had committed suicide since 2007/8, compared with 112 people who had died in agricultural occupational deaths.

"As a member of Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHANZ), Federated Farmers knows there are big disparities in funding for mental health before you get to what's spent rurally.

"We're not looking for money to be thrown willy-nilly because depression.org.nz shows how smart spending can cut through.

"There's no doubt Sir John Kirwan has saved lives while inspiring Doug Avery, a past Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year, to go public as a farmer.

"Yet programmes like this need to be backed up on the ground in rural New Zealand."

Ms Milne said a major issue was turnover of medical professionals in rural areas.

"Mutual trust is vital to combat depression and tackling our suicide toll. So is the training of rural medical staff in the recognition and treatment of mental health.

"We believe this is a chance to look at the Ministry of Health's voluntary bonding scheme, to see if it remains fit for purpose in attracting and retaining medical professionals to rural areas."

Federated Farmers president William Rolleston is a farmer and former general practitioner and believes farmers put off going to their GP until they have a list of ailments.

"This 'saving it up' is part farming culture and part a lack of ready access to the healthcare services that they need," Dr Rolleston said.

"It is less 'she'll be right' and more 'it can wait', except in the case of your physical or mental health, it usually cannot.

"That's a key message we need to get out into our communities, but it is one that also needs to have the services available."

Help Agencies
Samaritans (06) 358 2442 or (freephone) 0800 726 666
Shine (Domestic Violence) (freephone) 0508 744 633
Depression Helpline (freephone) 0800 111 757
Kidsline (freephone) 0800KIDSLINE (543 754)
Pathways Care NZ (06) 377 3156
Wairarapa Community Counselling Centre (06) 377 5716
What's Up (freephone) 0800WHATSUP (942 878)
Youthline (freephone) 0800 376 633