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Fonterra and the Rural Support Trust (RST) are today
proud to announce a three-year partnership to support rural
New Zealanders by improving access to wellbeing and
resilience services for farming families who are doing it
tough.
Earning a living from the land comes with a
unique set of challenges and research shows that a
significant proportion of New Zealand farmers neglect their
own wellbeing. The first priority for the partnership is to
develop a rural specific national strategy, which is
expected to be in place early next year.
Richard
Allen, Group Director Farm Source, says, “For generations
the RST has been standing by rural communities and have a
long history of showing up and helping when times are tough.
Fonterra has worked successfully with the RST for some time
but more action is needed and this new partnership will help
strengthen our wellbeing support throughout the
country.”
“Developing a national, long-term
strategy with clear objectives and actions that address
mental health and other rural challenges is simply the right
thing to do.
“Farming is an animal and produce
business, but it’s also very much a human business. It’s
right to show up for communities during events and
emergencies, but the partnership also recognises an ongoing
need for support of, and commitment to, New Zealand
communities.”
Farming is right up there when it
comes to the most rewarding jobs in the world, but it can
also be one of the most stressful and demanding. According
to 2020 research from DairyNZ, 62% of dairy farmers said
they or someone on their farm experienced mental health
issues in the previous 12 months.
Neil Bateup, Chair
of the National Council of RSTs, says, “Kiwi farmers and
growers run pretty special businesses, but they’re
businesses that are vulnerable to a bunch of significant
external factors – many of which are out of their control.
A good example is the extreme weather and flooding
experienced across parts of New Zealand recently. Farmers
are also feeling increasing pressures due to things like
rising on-farm costs, the labour pinch and increasing
compliance obligations.
“We’ve come a long way in
the last decade or so, in that there’s more recognition
that mind health is just as important as physical wellbeing,
but we know there’s still a lot of work to do in this
area.”
Some examples of Fonterra and RST working
together:
- Earlier this year Fonterra was one of
the sponsors of Matt Chisholm’s nationwide Time Out Tour
for RST. Matt is an Ambassador for RST and talked to rural
communities about mental wellness, resilience, his own
struggles and what he did to help overcome them. (www.rural-support.org.nz/Time-Out-Tour). - In
August 2021, a Fonterra and RST ‘Good Together’ Rugby
Team played the Parliament Rugby Team to help raise more
than $100,000 for the RST to help flood-affected South
Island farmers. - Farm Source Charitable Giving
initiative – allows farmers to donate their Farm Source
Rewards Dollars to three charities, including the Rural
Support Trust. - Fonterra’s Christmas Charitable
Giving initiative – allows employees to donate cash to one
of three charities, including the Rural Support
Trust.
Fonterra extends Employee Assistance
Programme (EAP) to Fonterra farmers indefinitely
Last
year, during COVID, Fonterra extended its Employee
Assistance Programme (EAP) to Co-op farmers. Fonterra has
now extended this offering indefinitely.
EAP is a
professional and confidential counselling service provided
by an independent company, EAP Services. Fonterra funds the
service for employees (and now farmers) to help those who
are experiencing any personal or work-related
difficulties.
Mental wellbeing on farm can be testing
at this time of year and with the added uncertainties of
weather events it gets tough. If any Fonterra farmers are
finding things difficult or would just like to talk things
through with someone, they can take a look at our EAP
offering. Contact details for EAP and other tips and advice
that can help improve mental wellbeing are available to
Fonterra farmers via the Health and Wellbeing portal on the
Farm Source website (https://nzfarmsource.co.nz/business/my-business/health-and-wellbeing).
Where
to get help
Rural
Support Trust: 0800 787 254
Lifeline: 0800 543 354
(available 24/7)
Suicide
Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available
24/7)
Youthline:
0800 376 633 or text 234 (available 24/7)
Kidsline:
0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
Whatsup: 0800 942 8787
(12pm to 11pm)
Depression
helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available
24/7)
Anxiety
helpline: 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) (available
24/7)
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376
4155
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or
someone else is at risk, call
111.
© Scoop Media
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