The eight edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. Presented by Eric Robson this edition looks at the issue of rural stress which sees on average two farmers committing suicide each week. On the edge of a field presenter Eric Robson offers some sobering statistics. Farmers are almost twice as likely to commit suicide than any other group in Britain. Farming...

The eight edition of a rural affairs programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television that looks at the future of agricultural and the countryside as it heads towards the new millennium. Presented by Eric Robson this edition looks at the issue of rural stress which sees on average two farmers committing suicide each week. On the edge of a field presenter Eric Robson offers some sobering statistics. Farmers are almost twice as likely to commit suicide than any other group in Britain. Farming also have the worst incidents of both accident-related deaths and serious injury than any other British industry. These statistics are based on high levels of rural stress, but why is this? Title: Farming 2000 An excerpt from a video produced by the Samaritans about farm related injuries changes to an interview with Robin Craddock from the National Farmers Union (NFU). He states that famers today are under a lot of pressure and often must work in isolation due to the decreasing numbers of people work on the land with whom they can talk to. On a farm tractors are used to cut, transport and stack silage. In fields around the farm cattle grazing. Interview with Yorkshire farmer George Hurd who talks about how farmers don’t do a lot of talking, they get on with the job and there is often little or no interaction with other people. Stress is described as ‘a state of mind caused by things beyond your control’. His concerns are for those farmers working in small properties that see little return for their efforts and not having someone to talk to about these stresses. Returning to Robin Craddock who explains to Eric that there has been a chipping away of people who would once visit a farm and form a relationship with farmers, the personal contact has gone out of the industry. Robin continues to talk about those farmers whose family have worked the same farm for generations but can no longer see away to either continue or hand over the land to someone else or get out, they are ‘locked in’. A second excerpt from a video produced by the Samaritans about farming is followed by an interview with Boroughbridge General Practitioner Dr Clare Eisner. Dr Eisner has conducted a pilot study into 75 local farmers that showed they do exhibit a high level of depression. She explains to Eric that her findings are scientifically proven using a hospital anxiety depression scale. On describing the causes of this anxiety and depressions Dr Eisner says that it is the difficulty in not having a day off that is a major factor, not being able to find someone to look after the farm while they are away, even for one day. However, through her practice farmers now know that there is medical profession interested in their depression and that they are not on their own. She also says that farmers wives are also becoming aware of the problems and are now pushing their husbands to seek help. Back on his farm George Hurd talks about finding the right person to speak to, someone who will tell you things you don’t want to hear but should. He gives example of organisations such as the Samaritans or the Citizens Advise Bureau who have individuals who have been trained to listen and assess which way to go. Richard Kerkham, a spokesman from the Samaritans, talks with Eric about the service his organisation can offer; an opportunity to talk in confidence, something that is a rare thing especially within rural communities. They would also be happy to talk with anyone who has concerns for someone they know who may be suffering from anxiety or depression and would be happy to make contact. A farmer walking across his field passing several cows, a decorative flowerbed at the entrance to a farm. George Hurd talking about his involvement in the North Yorkshire Rural Initiative, a project to make farmers and others in rural communities who are under pressure know that they are not on their own. The hay continues to be collected from the recently mowed meadow; Robin Craddock says that the NFU have gotten together with a other professional organisation to let farmers know if they have a problem then specialised help is available. He continues by saying that some of their reps are being trained in awareness techniques. Eric speaks with Reverend Dr Iain Bentley from Yorkshire Agricultural College who reiterates many of the points raised in the programme regarding rural stress and the need to find help and support as soon as possible. He doesn’t see asking for help as a weakness, rather it is part of a ‘humane condition’ to accept you have a problem and the need to find a resolution. Cattle in a farmyard feeding, in the distance a farmer speeding across a field on a quadbike. The programme ends with George Herd who states that the general public don’t know how much processing, time, effort, and pressure goes into farming. Credit: Camera David Leeder Sound Ken Davison Electrician John Mason Researcher Elizabeth Woodward Production Assistant Pauline Grant VT Editor Howards Beebe Director Malcolm Dickinson Producer Bob Farnworth End credit: A Tyne Tees Television Production for ITV © MCMXCV