With farmer wellbeing at its lowest point in four years, The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) today launches its ninth annual Mind Your Head week with a bold mission: tackling suicide risk in UK agriculture.
Running from 9–13 February 2026, the campaign calls on farmers, rural organisations, colleges and Young Farmers Clubs to start life-saving conversations, learn practical skills and connect communities to support - addressing what many now recognise as the industry’s “biggest hidden problem.”
The latest Office of National Statistics figures showed 47 suicides were registered in England & Wales among the farming and agricultural industry in 2024, a 7% increase from 2022[1].
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “Over the past nine years, we have made significant strides in raising awareness and improving education around mental health. However, when it comes to suicide prevention, progress has been far more limited.
“While agriculture in the UK benefits from rural support groups and charities who deliver vital, high-quality support, a critical gap remains: there is still very little suicide prevention training tailored specifically for those working in agriculture.
“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.”
The charity’s latest research reveals that overall wellbeing within the farming community lags behind the UK general population and has fallen to its lowest point in four years. This is measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), a widely used national measure of positive mental health.
Mental wellbeing among farmers over 40 years old hits a four-year low, with the sharpest decline being among those aged 61 – historically the most resilient group. Until recently, this age group consistently reported mental wellbeing levels above the UK average – a sign of resilience in one of the toughest professions. But that resilience is now under severe strain.
Stephanie continued: “Farming is tough. Long hours, hard graft and a mindset that says ‘just get on with it.’ That grit is admirable - but it is also why some farmers leave it too late to ask for help. As we enter 2026, we want to address the issue of suicide awareness and prevention. Too many farming families are quietly carrying the weight of crisis and loss. The message this year is simple: learn the steps, start conversations earlier and look out for each other. When communities know what to say and what to do, lives can be saved.”
With Scottish charity RSABI appointing its first Suicide Prevention Lead and Northern Ireland’s Rural Support currently recruiting a dedicated officer, there is a growing determination to strengthen prevention strategies in rural communities. Something that was recognised at a recent roundtable of leading farming support charities and attended by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales. Following this meeting, the Farm Safety Foundation confirmed that the 2026 Mind Your Head campaign would place suicide prevention at its core - driving awareness, fostering dialogue and strengthening support networks for those most at risk.
As members of The Royal Foundation’s National Suicide Prevention Network (NSPN) - a four‑nations initiative launched on World Mental Health Day – the Farm Safety Foundation will use this year’s campaign to strengthen access, collaboration and innovation across crisis, prevention and postvention.
Stephanie Berkeley added: “Suicide is not inevitable and preventing it means letting the people closest to the pain make the call to action so, throughout this week, we will share the voices that matter most - those who have lost loved ones, those who have endured in silence and those who have found their way back from the darkest of places. These stories are raw, real and deeply human.
We have also created a hero film for the campaign bringing these voices together in a way that speaks straight to the heart of farming: real people, real hope and the unstoppable power of community.
This will be a campaign about education, resilience and compassion - but above all, it will be about hope and saving lives.”
During the week the charity will be launching a new ‘Suicide Awareness & Prevention’ eLearning module, funded by The Royal Foundation and developed with Baton of Hope, tailored specifically to a farming audience. Built on best practice and practical scenarios, the course will equip learners to recognise warning signs, use supportive, non-judgmental language, and create simple safety plans - with clear signposting to the specialist help available in the sector.
Karen Hodgson, Associate Director at The Royal Foundation said: “We are proud to support this project, led by two of the National Suicide Prevention Network’s partners. It is great to see collaboration in action, bringing innovative approaches to suicide prevention and reaching communities that need it most. This work will make a real difference to those living and working rural communities across the UK.”
For more information on the Mind Your Head campaign please visit www.yellowwellies.org or follow them on social media - @yellowwelliesUK on Facebook, Instagram and X using the hashtag #MindYourHead.
