THIS year has brought even more uncertainty and unexpected changes which has led to pressures on the farming community to grow, the UK’s oldest farming charity has said.

RABI, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, has launched a new package of services designed to help people deal with complex challenges.

As part of the new support, RABI is launching a new online wellbeing community and counselling service to farmers across England and Wales.

But farmers in Herefordshire have also backed the new service from RABI.

Emily Jones, who lives on her boyfriend’s potato and arable farm in Sarnesfield, near Kington, said managing your own mental health is incredible important.

“Mental wellbeing is important to me because it affects everything,” Miss Jones, who’s also an agriculture student, said.

“It affects how we think, how we act and how feel, and therefore being proactive and addressing our own personal mental health is incredibly important in managing over overall wellbeing.”

Her thoughts were echoed by fellow student Meg Watkins, who is a beef and sheep farmer from Craswell in the Golden Valley.

She said: “Mental wellbeing is important to me because you are your farm’s biggest asset.

“The decision you make are underpinned by your mental health.

“You cannot achieve a healthy business without a healthy mindset.”

The chair of Herefordshire’s federation of young farmers’ clubs has also backed RABI.

Sheep farmer from Clyro, Ernie Richards said: “Working on an isolated farm, very often on my own, I have a lot of time to overthink things.

“By talking to others it gives me the support and reassurance that I need.”

Against a backdrop of continuing strains and demands, RABI said the new online initiative is a significant step in its plans to evolve services so it can better meet the changing needs of farming people.

The Hereford Times has previously covered the issues surrounding mental health in the farming community in the #BackingHerefordshireFarming campaign.

The campaign aims to highlight the problems people in the industry are facing, as well as celebrating their achievements.

Alicia Chivers, RABI’s chief executive, said: “We know that farmers have continued to face exceptionally difficult times.

“Managing mental wellbeing and maintaining good mental health has emerged as one of the most significant issues facing our sector, which is already known for its higher than average levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and suicide.

“Our aim is to make a real difference to the farming community that RABI has been dedicated to for the past 160 years. We believe early intervention and one-to-one support are essential to ensuring good mental health and tackling the root causes of poor wellbeing.

“We believe that providing confidential, easily accessible, free online support can make a real difference to a wide audience.”

The initiative features two distinct sites: Qwell.io/rabi for adults, while Kooth.com/rabi is tailored to those aged 11-17.

It will address issues such as loneliness, Brexit and farm debt.