Somerset farmer fears pressures of the job pushing farmers to take their own life

• ITV News West Country's Louisa Britton has been speaking to a Somerset farmer about the pressures facing the industry.

A second-generation farmer from Somerset has told ITV News long hours, isolation and financial struggles are all contributing to declining mental wellbeing in the industry.

Richard Payne, from Manor Farm, Heathfield near Taunton, took over the business from his father in 1985, but said the pressures on those working in the sector are unsustainable.

Speaking to ITV News, he said: "Food is the only thing we need every day of the year, and yet it's perceived as valueless.

"I know of two people locally here who have very sadly taken their own lives. It's just awful. No one should be put in that position."

Mr Payne added that the upcoming government changes to subsidies and taxes have left some farmers struggling to cope with the added pressure.

"There are some people who feel that if they're ill or very old, before the end of this financial year, they're considering the ultimate sacrifice. It's totally wrong.

"If we want to protect farming and have a fit, healthy workforce doing it, we have to do better, a lot better."

The Farm Safety Foundation said the mental health of UK farmers is at a four-year low, with figures showing there were 47 suicides in the sector in 2024 – a 7% increase from 2022.

The research also found that 95% of farmers under 40 believe mental health is the biggest hidden issue for those working in agriculture.

Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, is calling on farmers, rural organisations and colleges to start life-saving conversations.

"We have made significant strides in raising awareness and improving education around mental health, but when it comes to suicide prevention, progress has been far more limited," she said.

"Farming brings a unique set of pressures - long hours, isolation, financial uncertainty, generational expectations and physical risk.

"Conversations about suicide in rural communities require approaches that are real, relatable and rooted in lived experience.

"Without training designed for the realities of agricultural life, we risk leaving those most vulnerable without the tools they need to recognise warning signs and intervene effectively."

Mr Payne added: "I think the main pressures on farmers are loneliness and isolation, lack of profitability and the lack of worth from the government.

"You never leave the job, our homes and the farm are our office, so when times are hard, you cannot leave work at work. It is very pervasive.

"Looking at my son now, the situation financially in farming is worse now than it was 30-40 years ago, so my son has no hope. It's a non-starter for him to follow in my footsteps."

Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, Sarah Dyke, who is from a farming family, said one of her friends at agricultural college took his own life because of the pressures of the job.

She said: "I remember his parents telling me that he had left a note saying I hope that, with my death, the insurance money will cover being able to make the farm successful. That's how stark it is.

"Looking at younger farmers as they transition from college and university back into the farm, they find themselves quite isolated, and it becomes really difficult.

"The pressures of life are on their shoulders as they are seen to be the ones taking the business forward or perhaps being the ones to close the farm gates for the very last time."

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "Farmers are at the heart of our food security and environmental stewardship.

"Their mental health and wellbeing matters, and we want to ensure they can access support when they need it.

"We know that farmers and rural communities face real pressures, and we continue to listen to their concerns so that we can better respond to the difficulties they face."

Since May 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, providing £500k to support projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farmers in England.

If you have been affected by the issues mentioned above, support and advice are available here.