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Being a farmer can be tough W


hile newspapers give full attention to the number of Covid-19 cases, they are silent on some of the pandem- ic’s huge consequences. The closure of several large slaughterhouses globally due to Covid-19 infections in


employees is one of the striking examples of this media bias. The news- papers actively reported the number of employees who tested positive, but hardly mentioned the knock-on effects on pigs and farmers. It is estimated that more than 1 million pigs were destroyed or had to remain on-farm, as there was no possibility of processing them in a nearby slaughterhouse. Obviously, on an efficient commercial farm there is no free pig space at any time during the year. With pigs piling up, some opted to euthanise animals on-farm and halt or interrupt the birth of new piglets. As a primarily animal welfare scientist, usually my concern is with the animals. However, having also been trained in human psychotherapy and specialising in mental trauma, my main concerns are with the farm- ers. The challenges that farmers have had to face during this pandemic go much further than the financial losses or moral dilemmas about the destruction of healthy animals. Affected farmers have had to make deci- sions themselves, and carry out their decisions with their own hands. This comes with a much larger sense of responsibility and the question “Did I make the right choice?” When a reportable disease breaks out, like African Swine Fever, there is (legally) no choice left. It has to be reported and the farm will be cleared, likely by a team of specialists. The situation is thus out of the farmer’s control. It is clearly known that these events have a massive im- pact on mental health. Farmers have one of the highest suicide rates compared to other professions. What makes the consequences of the pandemic so impactful is the combination of a lack of control along with the need to still take responsibility for a decision, along with the lack of recognition and lack of financial and social support. Farmers are tough. I remember killing a piglet for the first time, and the poor pig didn’t want to let go of life so easily. Commercial pig farm- ing does harden you up. The advantage is that it enables you to do the nasty parts of pig management efficiently. The danger is that it may seem a social stigma to express mental or emotional dis- tress. Farming can at times be a lonely profession, and it may be difficult to open up a conversation with someone about worries or anxieties. Sharing thoughts and feelings with others may not be easy, but it does help. In the UK and US there are several organisations and programmes, such as “Mind Your Head” and “Farm State of Mind”, that specif- ically help farmers to mentally cope better by providing information and advice.


Irene Camerlink is an interdisciplinary research- er focusing on pig behaviour, welfare and production. She is attached to the Polish Academy of Sciences.


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