The Farming Help charities, the Farming Community Network (FCN) and the Addington Fund, are seeking the views of UK farmers in a new survey.
The farming charities said that the survey is to help ensure its support and services continue to meet the evolving needs of farmers.
Dr. Jude McCann, chief executive officer of FCN, said: “Against a backdrop of market volatility, political uncertainty and a rapidly changing climate, the support provided by FCN and Addington Fund is arguably needed now more than ever before.
“With so much change affecting our sector, it is important we listen and learn directly from our farming community, and do what we can to accommodate farmers’ individual needs.”
FCN is a UK-wide voluntary organisation that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people in farming.
This includes assessing which areas are most pressing or causing farmers the most stress such as succession planning, mental health and wellbeing, labour shortages, and financial sustainability.
Farming Help said that its overall aim is to facilitate good collaborative working practices by the national farming charities to benefit the wider agricultural community.
As the farming charities embark on their new organisational strategies, they wish to ensure that their support services continue to meet the real, present-day needs of the farming community – whilst identifying any gaps in support that may be present.
Sue English, fund director of the Addington Fund, said: “We receive calls daily from farmers and those living and working in rural areas who need help.
“As we near our 25th anniversary, we want to be certain that we are meeting the current needs of this community fully, whether that be by helping directly or ensuring that we collaborate with our fellow farming charities, such as our friends at FCN, to provide that support.
“I’d encourage everyone in the farming sector to make their voices heard and tell us how charities can best help them when they need support. Those views are vital to develop our strategies to ensure support is easily and readily available in times of need,” she added.
The survey can be completed in under 10 minutes, and responders can enter a draw to win a £50 M&S gift card.
Farming Help said that responses are crucial in ensuring that agricultural charities can respond effectively to the needs of the industry.
