Farming can be a stressful occupation. The weather is one cause of stress. While sometimes the problem is flooding after heavy rain, at other times and in other parts of the country the problem is drought. North Canterbury had almost no rain over the summer. Paddocks are so dry that farmers have to sell their lambs or buy dry feed which is very expensive. The price of wool is low also.
The market price of milk powder is very low right now and this brings stress to dairy farmers. Three years ago, milk powder was the highest it has ever been at $8.40 a kg of milk solids. As a result, farmers increased the number of cows and now there is too much milk powder. Also other countries are supplying China with milk powder so the price is low, at $4.40. Many farmers borrow thousands of dollars from the bank, especially if they converted their farm from sheep to dairy. Some bank experts say that dairy farmers need $5.70 a kg to pay their debt. Although milk prices will probably increase next year, at the moment debt is a worry for farmers.
Another stress for farmers is having no time off. They work long hours and suffer from extreme tiredness. Cows have to be milked twice a day, 7 days a week. Usually milking starts around 5am and again at 5pm and can take 3 hours each time.
Farmstrong is an organisation to help farmers think about their mental health. Too many farmers have committed suicide in the past. The motto of Farmstrong is ‘Live well, Farm well’. Live well includes a work / life balance for a happy life.
Listen to September 25th 2014 to hear more about the payout for milk powder. Follow the links to other years.
Vocabulary
• dry feed – hay or other grain
• converted – changed from sheep farming to dairying means buying new machinery and animals It is very expensive.
• work / life balance –working but also thinking about family, fun and health
Questions
Is work / life balance important in your country? What other occupations are stressful and why?