YOUR INDUSTRY
STAYING FARMSTRONG
Gerard Vaughan
Farmstrong is an award winning nationwide rural well-being programme that launched in 2015 to help farmers and growers live well to farm well. Prior to launching, Farmstrong spoke to many farmers and some growers who said that they prioritised putting systems in place to look after their produce, land, stock and machinery, but weren’t as good at putting things in place to look after themselves. Farmstrong spokesperson, Gerard Vaughan, says that’s why Farmstrong was started. “Just as growers draw on science to grow their best produce, Farmstrong draws on science to design tools and resources that help improve the well-being of people working in the business.” Farmers and growers also told Farmstrong that they operate in environments where families often live at their place of work, and many of the pressures, such as weather, regulations and fluctuating market prices are out of their control. Also, demanding workloads, particularly during peak times, can result in people not getting away from the business, which can contribute to increased stress levels. Over the past five years, Farmstrong has attracted many farmers and growers who have shared what they do to make sure they are investing in their well-being. “Alongside information on topics such as stress and burnout, recovery time, sleep and healthy thinking strategies, we 28
NZGROWER : MARCH 2021
include the practical things farmers and growers do to look after their well-being in their busy lives,” says Gerard. This year Farmstrong will be working more closely with the horticulture sector to better understand the various challenges faced by growers of different types of crop in their businesses, and work with them on solutions for self-care.
...we include the practical things farmers and growers do to look after their well-being in their busy lives Early this year, Farmstrong undertook 50 face-to-face interviews with growers (business owners and those that work for them) to get a better understanding of their challenges and the things they do to take care of themselves. These interviews are being followed up with an online survey to get a wide response from as many growers as possible. “The findings from this research will help to tailor our advice and initiatives over the coming years to the day-today realities of those working in the horticulture sector,” says Gerard. For more information on Farmstrong visit Farmstrong.co.nz
