Focus on farmer health at Teagasc conference

Staying resilient on farm through stressful times of year

Tuesday November 19, International Men’s Day (IMD), is marked in around 80 countries worldwide. The theme for 2024 is ‘Men’s Health Champions’.

Shane Pearson, lecturer with the Institute of Health Sciences (IHS), will explore the challenges of farming at this year’s Teagasc National Beef Conference, in the Landmark Hotel, Carrick on Shannon, County Leitrim on Tuesday November 19 at 5pm.

Shane will offer a practical, resilience-based approach tailored for beef farmers. Shane is from a beef farming background, and he worked full-time on his family farm at Mullingar before following his passion for helping others achieve greater levels of health and wellbeing.

With more than 15 years of experience in facilitating positive change, Shane has spent the last decade focused on health and wellness coaching.

“Farmers frequently face heightened stress during calving season, market preparations, and inspections – times when intense physical and financial pressures peak,” Shane says.

Recent research indicates that health and mental wellbeing are crucial, yet challenging to maintain in farming. Studies show that many farmers experience poor mental health, high rates of burnout, and physical health issues related to stress, yet adequate resources to address these challenges can be scarce.

Initiatives like the Teagasc ‘Sowing the Seeds of Support’ leaflet and resilience programmes offer practical guidance on recognising and managing stress. The IFA Croí EIP will be available at the Leitrim conference on the night to offer free health check services to farmers, with easy access to basic health screenings.

Shane introduces a ‘5 Ps of Resilience’ framework: Presence, Purpose, Power, People, and Preparation, which provides steps tailored to the realities of farm life, supporting farmers in managing stress and maintaining wellbeing.

Presence is about staying focused on the task in front of you, rather than feeling overwhelmed by everything waiting to be done. Practical tips for building presence include; take deep breaths: ‘come to your senses’, tackle one task at a time.

Purpose:

A clear sense of purpose acts as an anchor, helping farmers see each task as part of a larger goal. Practical tips to reconnect with Purpose include; reflect on your ‘why’: use visual reminders, celebrate small wins.

Power:

Resilience requires energy, which comes from quality sleep, nutrition, and hydration. Practical tips to stay powered up include; prioritize quality sleep: eat balanced, regular meals: mind your minerals.

People:

Support is essential for resilience. Practical tips for leveraging support include; find help and delegate routine tasks, build a support network, consider professional support.

Preparation:

Effective preparation can be the difference between a smooth operation and a stressful scramble. Planning ahead allows you to anticipate challenges and set up systems that will keep things running smoothly during high-stress times. Practical tips for effective preparation include; plan key tasks ahead, tidy up and fix small issues, set up backup support.

By applying the 5 Ps of Resilience, farmers can build a solid foundation to handle stress, keep operations running smoothly, and sustain mental and physical wellbeing through each season. Resilience isn’t about eliminating stress; it’s about having the right ‘shock absorbers’ to take each challenge in stride, allowing farmers to manage their unique demands with greater ease and balance.

Beef conference

On the night, Dr Peter Doyle, research officer at Teagasc Grange, will outline the impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems. Also, Dr Patrick Forrestal, senior research officer, Teagasc Johnstown Castle, will discuss practical nutrient management solutions that beef farmers can implement on their farms to increase efficiency, reduce costs and address environmental pressures facing the sector.

Other speakers on the night include;

Dr John Donlon, research officer, Teagasc Grange, on ways to control pneumonia in suckler weanlings.

Eoin Ryan, Dept of Agriculture, will discuss the risks for Irish cattle farmers in relation to bluetongue. Martina Harrington, programme manager, Future Beef Programme, Teagasc, will outline innovations on the participants of Future Beef Suckler Farms

There will be an opportunity for farmers to meet members of the Teagasc Organic team, Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme and Signpost Programme to discuss queries.

The Teagasc Future Beef and DairyBeef500 teams will also be in attendance at the conference with updates from both programmes.

There will be a focus on farmer health and wellbeing with a number of health professionals with information stands on the night also.