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Download full report (2.4meg)
Summary of the report
Living Longer on the Land - Sustainable Farm Families in Broadacre Agriculture
“The farm isn’t the paddocks and the crops and the machinery, the farm is you. And without you, the farm isn’t worth anything.”
by Susan Brumby, Professor Bruce Wilson, Stuart Willder
May 2008
RIRDC Publication No 08/048 RIRDC Project No WDH-1A
Farmers participating in this program showed that they are interested in their health, well-being and safety. This report tells the story of a program developed by farmers, for farmers, with health, industry, universities, training organisations and agricultural industries all working together to develop and pilot the Sustainable Farming Families (SFF) program.
The report provides a glimpse of the current health status of rural farming families. It increases our understanding of what affects farming families’ health and identifies measures to improve their health, well-being and safety. Many of the specific strategies to improve farming family health were provided by farmers themselves.
Who is the report targeted
at?
The report is targeted at
those involved in rural health, agricultural industries and the farming
workforce, with particular emphasis on those involved in policy and resource
allocation decisions.
Research bodies including universities, health services and agricultural industries will find the information useful in future planning to effectively service the needs of Australian agriculture. Policy makers and government agencies will find this report of value in developing better policy to improve farmers’ and rural health, and in allocating future funding for rural farming family populations. This report also gives the general reader a snapshot of the health status and needs of rural farm families, and of the attitudes of these families towards their own health.
Background to the SFF
The basis for the SFF is
unique and proving to be versatile across a range of agricultural industries.
It has been driven through the passion of two registered nurses with an
interest in farming family health and the future direction of farming throughout
Australian agriculture. In association with universitybased researchers,
they developed the evidence-based health promotion program that is the
SFF. The project was structured initially around a specific target group
of farming families and covered many health issues including cardiovascular,
diabetes, stress, gender specific issues, cancers, injury, safety and mental
health. The program content reflected the primary health factors known
to affect farmers and rural communities more generally. The program was
also planned to recognise the complex environment of farms as workplaces,
homes and businesses. Given this complexity farming families were key players
in the shaping, feedback and further development of the program through
discussion of shared issues and common problems.
The funding allocated by the RIRDC managed Joint Research Venture in Farm Health and Safety has been a key factor in the development and implementation of the SFF project. This report will be significant in shaping future directions in the health, well-being and safety of rural farming families.
Aims and Objectives
The initial aims and objectives
of the SFF project were developed in response to the evidence that little
is known about the health status of the farming families (men, women and
extended families). While there are health statistics regarding rural and
metropolitan health there is little empirical evidence of the status of
farming families. Our aims for the project were to:
Methods used
The goal was to develop
and trial a program that enabled farmers to increase their control over
and improve their health, well-being and safety. Methods used within the
program incorporated a wide range of evidence-based data collection and
evaluative frameworks. Participants were recruited by collaborative partners
and Farm Management 500, who had a large number of farming family clients
from which participants could be recruited. Structured evaluative frameworks
were utilised to gather and interpret information under the guidance of
Professor John Martin (who was based at RMIT University’s Hamilton Campus)
at the start of the project, and in the latter stages, Professor Bruce
Wilson.
The project’s research and education activities included:
Using these assessment
and data collection methods, the project team collated information on the
physical health status of de-identified participants with statistical analysis
of the data (derived from questionnaires, focus groups and observations)
about their own health perceptions, their initiatives to improve their
health, their business decisions, and other aspects of their lives. Output
from this analysis has been used to prepare conference papers, produce
published papers and to share with the Joint Research Venture for Farm
Health and Safety and other bodies interested in the health, wellbeing
and safety of farming families. The research has also been used to gather
farmer feedback and to improve the program’s content and delivery.
Results/Key findings
The SFF project has achieved
some very important outcomes and research findings during the past three
years. The significant outcomes include:
Implications for relevant
stakeholders
Industry
The implications of the
SFF project for Australian agriculture are significant. Industry involvement
has been a key factor in the coordination of this project and has played
a leading role in the steering committee and recruitment of the sample
population. Industry shares the ownership of the success of the research
and is now using this success to foster additional programs for key farming
communities.
Industry has also benefited from the association with broad inter-sectoral collaboration in the development and implementation of this project. This has been useful for the broad acre industry and lays a foundation for similar projects in other agricultural communities.
Farming Communities
Significant community impacts
from the research have occurred with many of the programs across the three
states generating ongoing activities. Community involvement has generated
the desire for programs beyond the funding timeframes and encouraged future
program development by other agricultural industries and health services.
Positive community response has seen the program receive major awards in
2005 and 2006. Initiation of work safe programs, additional funds for health
and wellbeing grants and even supermarkets changing the foods they stock
all constitute part of the benefits for particular communities.
Policy Makers
The SFF research has seen
an emerging interest from government and policy makers in gaining more
understanding about farming health, well-being and the future of the family
farm enterprise. This has resulted in some additional funding to expand
the action research, number of participants and training opportunities.
The involvement of the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Victorian
Farmers Federation and more recently the Victorian Department of Human
Services has generated a broader cross-section of institutions interested
in the Victorian dairy industry, together with training of a small number
of health professionals and the production of resource materials to assist
in program development.
Others
Interest in the SFF program
has been generated with key collaborative industry and sector partners
coming together to continue the development of the SFF initiatives to improve
the health, well-being and safety of farming families. This positive response
from the wider Australian agricultural industry has been a key outcome
for the SFF program. It is remarkable that a small rural health service
has been able to draw on its grounded experience and develop this initiative
to the stage where it now has such a prominent national and international
focus.
Recommendations
These recommendations have
implications for all levels of government, health, industry, local populations
and individuals. An appropriate response will require government and industry
to work collaboratively in assessing the specific policy implications of
the project, and to apply the resources necessary to bring significant
benefits to the health and well-being of Australian farm families.
It is recommended that:
 
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