Farmers encouraged to fill out Rural Support 2023 survey: 'Supporting NI Farmers in Times of Rapid Change'

Rural Support are asking you to take 10 minutes and fill out their 2023 Farm Support Survey to help identify the pressures the farming community is currently under from the farmer perspective, as it navigates a rapidly changing environment.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th May 2023, 09:53 BST
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Rural Support is the farm support charity for Northern Ireland and provides various no-cost programmes and services to help farmers and farming families to build sustainable farm businesses and develop better physical and mental wellbeing.

The survey is a key element of a wider project developed by Rural Support and supported by NFU Mutual Charitable Trust – Supporting NI Farmers in Times of Rapid Change.

The wider project is centred around three main pillars that include the voice of the farmer through research, build new understanding and knowledge for the farm business and the farming family through tailored programmes, and creates a network of support across the region through targeted communications.

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Christine Kennedy, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust; Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust; Veronica Morris, CEO Rural Support; Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust,; Gillian Reid, Head of Farm Support, Rural Support, and Gemma Daly, Chair of the board, Rural Support, pictured at the survey launch event at Balmoral Show 2023.Christine Kennedy, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust; Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust; Veronica Morris, CEO Rural Support; Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust,; Gillian Reid, Head of Farm Support, Rural Support, and Gemma Daly, Chair of the board, Rural Support, pictured at the survey launch event at Balmoral Show 2023.
Christine Kennedy, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust; Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust; Veronica Morris, CEO Rural Support; Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust,; Gillian Reid, Head of Farm Support, Rural Support, and Gemma Daly, Chair of the board, Rural Support, pictured at the survey launch event at Balmoral Show 2023.

This approach has been designed to help farming families to build resilience and actively promotes the importance of decisive and positive action in relation to their farm business and to personal physical and emotional wellbeing.

It also builds on the results of the last survey on farming pressures carried out by Rural Support in 2020, which was instrumental in developing the current strategic plan for 2021-2024.

Gillian Reid, Head of Farm Support, encouraged farmers to take the time to fill out the survey and have their voices heard in relation to the pressures they are facing on the ground from the farmer perspective.

She said: “We know there are, and will be, many challenges for our farmers and we need to ensure they are as well prepared as possible to face what lies ahead. This survey will allow us to target our energy into addressing our farmers concerns through workshops and one-to-one mentoring based on what they have told us.”

The survey can be found at www.ruralsupport.or.uk and also via your local UFU office.

Freepost envelopes have been provided and online replies are welcome. For more information contact [email protected] and speak to a member of the Farm Support team.

Related topics:Northern IrelandUFU