Farmstrong Goes from Strength to Strength

Module Overview

Farmstrong continues to deliver impressive results for rural New Zealand.

The wellbeing programme was set up by the Mental Health Foundation and FMG in 2015 to help farmers, growers and their families cope better with the ups and downs of the industry. ACC joined as a strategic partner in 2016.

Since its launch Farmstrong has positively impacted the lives of thousands of farmers, growers, their workers and families in our country’s number one industry.

Each year Farmstrong conducts an annual survey to see how the programme is tracking. This research consistently shows that being Farmstrong helps people perform at their best on farm, improves their ability to manage challenges and helps prevent injuries.

What the science tells us is that mental health is just like physical health – it can be good or bad. So just like you can get physically fit, you can also become mentally fitter and stronger.

Last year more than 14,000 farmers and growers attributed an increase in their wellbeing to the programme. The survey also highlighted that three quarters of farmers who’d ever engaged with the programme improved their wellbeing.

These results have caught the attention of other industries and countries. The residential construction industry has just rolled out its own version of the programme – Live Well, Build Well  – and there’s now a Farmstrong up and running in Scotland.

Farmstrong ambassador Samuel Whitelock says: “It’s an exciting time to be involved with Farmstrong and I know we can reach even more people if we keep working hard. What I like about Farmstrong is that it’s all about farmers and growers sharing what works for them to deal with the tough times. There’s a lot of wisdom in our rural communities that people can tap into through Farmstrong.”

“Farmstrong gets farmers and growers talking about things like managing stress, recognising when people are ‘under the pump’ and doing something about it.”

The logic of the programme is simple. People are the most important asset in any business and anything that boosts their wellbeing and ability to perform under pressure is going to be good for the business.

Farmstrong encourages farmers to invest regularly in their ‘wellbeing bank account’ so they have plenty to draw on during tough times. They can do this by adopting simple, daily habits such as the Five Ways to Wellbeing that are proven to build resilience and provide essential recovery time for mind and body.

Over the past 18 months, Farmstrong has been working closely with the Rural Support Trust in flood-affected communities as part of the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery response. Some of you may have attended one of the comedy shows or Bitches’ Box shows that Farmstrong rolled out in flood-affected communities across the North Island to get people off farm for a fun night out.

A suite of new resources for farmers cand growers called Getting Through – What it takes to recover from extreme weather events has also been produced and is due to be launched in August.

The book and accompanying video clips feature farmers and growers in flood-hit areas sharing what helps and what doesn’t when you’re trying to get back on your feet during a long-haul recovery. The book also contains a toolkit of mental skills and thinking strategies specifically designed to help people navigating challenging and uncertain times.

Farmstrong has many supporters around the country who are passionate about the industry and keen to pass on what they’ve learnt about managing the pressures of farming and growing. Waikato dairy farmer Marc Gascoigne, who often represents Farmstrong at events, reflects on his involvement.

“I have got a lot out of being involved as a Farmstrong ‘champion’ by giving talks to various groups about my story. I know that words can be powerful and can really change lives for the better. That is immensely rewarding and helps me with my wellbeing, as well as the people I am reaching.”

Another champion is Taranaki farmer Kane Brisco, best-selling author Tools for Top Paddock. “I think as a farming community we need to be much more open about the pressure we face. Let’s start having that conversation as an industry, because our wellbeing should be an absolute priority on our farms.”

Farmstrong’s tools and resources are available for free to farmers and growers and their networks. So, head to www.farmstrong.co.nz to find out what works you and your team and ‘lock it in’.

As Farmstrong approaches ten years, the key leaaon is that even small changes in daily habits and thinking patterns can make a huge difference to people’s wellbeing and resilience.