Magellan Street, Northern NSW — Last Friday, the Northern Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) celebrated a significant milestone as CEO Gary Goldberg announced that the organization will receive $335,000 from federal and state governments for a 12-month pilot program aimed at supporting the mental well-being of farmers on the North Coast.
This initiative will allow the non-government RFCS to provide mental health coaching to farmers, who have faced a multitude of challenges, including drought, bushfires, floods, and biosecurity threats, alongside fluctuating commodity prices. The program is a collaboration between the National Farmers Federation and Norco, made possible through federal funding.
The primary goal of this service is to offer trusted and confidential support to farmers and their families, helping them navigate the situational distress or conflicts that affect their daily lives. According to Goldberg, approximately 50% of farmers in Australia have contemplated self-harm or suicide in the last seven years, highlighting the urgent need for this initiative.
“We know from the National Farmers’ Wellbeing Report just how much farmers in this region have suffered over the past seven years,” Goldberg remarked. “We already have a number of clients who are in dire need of this service.”
Goldberg emphasized the necessity for an alternative approach to mental health support, noting that while services like Lifeline and Beyond Blue offer valuable resources, they primarily provide telephone support. Farmers often lack the continuity and relationship-building opportunities that in-person counseling can offer.
“We have about 15 farmers who need help immediately,” he stated. “They trust us. They invite us onto their farms, allowing us to build a relationship with them. Our financial counselors are trained to recognize that issues beyond financial hardship may be causing distress, such as marital problems, depression, or fear of the next drought.”
Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, expressed her support for the initiative, stating that it would provide farmers with access to trained financial counselors who can help identify underlying issues and develop strategies to address them.
“The Rural Financial Counselling Service is a trusted source for farmers, and this service will help them address their entire lives, not just their financial situations,” Saffin noted. “This is a pilot program, but we are confident it will be successful and make a real difference in the lives of farmers and their families.”
The pilot program, which runs until September 2025, is part of a broader initiative developed by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program. The RFCS is currently accepting applications from farmers and their families through its website, paving the way for increased mental health support within the agricultural community.
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