The Balmoral Show is an event that celebrates farming and gives people in the industry a chance to connect. However, there are also many challenges in agriculture, including rising costs of feed, fuel, and fertiliser, as well as the ageing farming population and the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Because of these difficulties, farmers are under a lot of pressure, and calls to the charity Rural Support have almost doubled over the last year, with many people seeking counselling.
Damien Tumelty, a farmer from County Down, turned to Rural Support when his pedigree Dexter cattle herd became infected with bTB. “It was a severe sort of sad issue,” he said. “It does interfere with your thoughts and stuff. These were show animals that we had which were going away.” He had to make the tough decision to cull his remaining 60 cattle, and he felt he needed help to deal with the mental and emotional impact of the experience. Rural Support offered him eight sessions of counselling, and he found it very helpful to talk to someone who understood what he was going through.
Rural Support was formed in the early 21st century following the foot-and-mouth disease crisis, and it offers a range of services to support farmers and their families. The charity has seen a 98% rise in calls over the past year, which reflects the growing need for mental health support in the farming community. Gyles Dawson, head of Therapeutical Services and Crisis Support at Rural Support, explained that many farmers, particularly men, find it difficult to talk about their feelings. However, initiatives like “Boots on the Ground” are helping to raise awareness of the issue and empower farmers to seek help when needed.
For Damien and his family, the experience of losing their cattle was a turning point that led them to re-evaluate their farming practices. They have since diversified beyond the Dexter breed and are hoping to acquire full organic status in 2025. Although the experience was very difficult, Damien feels that he is now in a better place. “To say that you didn’t have a meltdown would not be true, you know? There’s even days you still think about it and you think about showing animals and winning the big championships, and there’s times where you will have a slight cry yourself. Good family and friends are a bonus – but you have to get your own head around what’s going on.
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