Long Road to Recovery: The Hidden Tolls of Natural Disasters on Farmers’ Mental Health
World Mental Health Day is an important reminder to look out for those around us, including our nation’s primary producers, who endure immense challenges every day.
This year, farmers across Australia have been struck by unprecedented natural disasters. From the historic droughts in Victoria to record-breaking floods in Queensland, 2025 has not been easy for our farmers.
These disasters not only impact farmers’ homes, but their livelihoods, their wellbeing. Years of cultivation and growth are wiped out in a matter of days.
Farm Angels founder, Tash Johnston, has seen firsthand the toll that built-up pressure can have on farmers’ mental health.
“Recovery takes years, not months. Just as the land needs time to regenerate after a natural disaster, so too do farmers,” Tash said.
“Following a natural disaster, there’s initial Government relief, grassroots aid, and messages of love and support. But even after these stories fade from the news cycles, the struggle continues.
“Our farmers can often feel forgotten at this point.”
And it’s not just the natural disasters that are having an impact on farmers.
“Day to day, farmers feel the pressure of cost of living more than people realise. Farmers are being paid the same prices for produce as they were in 1976, yet the cost of production keeps rising,” Tash said.
“There are no incremental pay rises in farming, only rising bills. That economic pressure is taking a huge toll on the mental health of farmers.”
Struggling to put food on their tables, farmers are left to pick up the pieces. Sometimes, it becomes too much to bear alone.
Alarmingly, Australia loses a farmer to suicide every ten days.
“This is why rural advocates are pushing for greater ongoing support.”
Supporting farmers through this long-haul recovery process is what drives Farm Angels, an organisation designed to help farmers across the country facing hardship.
Through their on-the-ground outreach and phone support, Farm Angels is the first responder after a disaster, as well as the helping hand during the average five years it takes to recover.
Single mother and cattle farmer, Kate Cosh, has experienced the lifechanging impact of Farm Angels’ support. A few years ago, Kate was hit with severe drought followed by tick paralysis that impacted her livestock. From then on, her workload only continued to build.
It was around this time that Kate was diagnosed with the debilitating disease multiple sclerosis, but with the workload showing no signs of easing up, Kate continued to work tirelessly in hopes of keeping her livelihood afloat.
“I’m a single mum with two boys and if something needs doing, it’s on me,” Kate said.
“There’s no one else to step in. If the fences need fixing, I fix them. If the cattle need attending to, I do it. Even when I’m not feeling my best, the work doesn’t stop.”
Her health declined more each day. Soldiering on became her motto.
However, an alarmed friend phoned Farm Angels, and the next thing Kate knew, help had arrived and a Farm Angels volunteer was on the phone, then on her front porch letting her talk through everything.
Looking back, she realises how badly she needed the support.
“I was going to fail,” Kate said.
“I was on that tipping edge and Farm Angels’ support balanced me out, allowed me to regroup, take the next step. I swear to God, if they hadn’t done what they did, I don’t think I'd be here.
“Farm Angels lets people like me know they’re not on their own.”
As well as providing financial assistance, food hampers, care packs and personalised support to thousands of Australian farming families, Farm Angels’ Angels on the Phone and Angels on the Road initiatives are specifically designed to connect with farmers in need and ensure they get a chance to share their struggles.
“One of the biggest hurdles in addressing mental health is stigma. Too often, farmers are expected to just ‘keep going’,” Tash said.
“We need to break down those barriers so that asking for help is seen as a strength. We need to remind farmers that there is support available; they are not alone. For Farm Angels, this is what Mental Health Month is all about.”
“At Farm Angels, we reach out to a lot of farmers in rural towns across Australia. This includes drought-affected farmers in Victoria and South Australia, and flood-affected farmers across New South Wales and Queensland.
“Time and time again, we hear from farmers that connection is key. Being able to talk to someone that understands where you’re coming from is sometimes all you need,” said Tash.
“This Mental Health Month, we encourage people within farming communities to start a conversation about mental health. Together, we can break the stigma and build a stronger community.”
All year round, but this month especially, farmers and farming communities should pause, check in on each other, and reflect on their mental health, keeping in mind that help is always available, that Farm Angels’ support means they are never alone.
Need support or know a friend you might? Reach out to Farm Angels here. If you’d like to support this worthy cause, donate now.
