Someone to talk to after a bad day – Craig is here for dairy farmers

*Ross Blanch chats with Craig Waddell about the mental health of farmers.*

Craig Waddell is a third generation dairy farmer who grew up in Bex Hill.

After 45 years of dairy farming and the devastating floods Craig has decided to hang up his hat and take a different direction.

Craig has a new role as mental health support officer for Norco.

Craig said farmers are faced with different challenges and tested every day with some days better than others.

“The support I will be able to offer, can and will make a positive impact on the Norco farmer community,” he said.

“I’ve been in the industry for so long, I understand the different challenges faced by farmers and the difficulties of just needing someone to talk to after a bad day.”

Craig will be working alongside Norco dairy farmer, Ross Blanch who has been actively giving back to the community through Queensland Lifeline’s Farmer-to-Farmer helpline.

Craig is on hand to take calls from Norco farmers.

He is keen to start offering support and wants all farmers to be aware that if somebody out there needs to talk, his phone is always on, and his door is wide open.

“I have firsthand experience of the daily life on the farm and enduring the devastating floods. I empathise with the constant struggle farmers face and endure, but I aspire to shift our mindset and start a conversation on how we really are.”

Norco first recognised the need for mental health support after its own research found close to half (45%) of Australian farmers had thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

This National Farmer Wellbeing Report in partnership with the National Farmers Federation revealed that almost half of all Australian farmers have felt depressed and nearly two thirds have experienced anxiety in the past few years.

Two of the top three factors impacting Australian farmer mental health were financial stress (36%) and inflation and cost pressures (35%).

Norco chief executive Michael Hampson is at the National Farmers Federation National Forum on Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture today, March 13.