Charity launches resilience checklist to give farmers a business and well-being ‘MOT’

• The Farming Community Network (FCN) has launched the ‘Greenzone Checklist’ through its FarmWell website, which contains helpful information to support farmers’ personal and business resilience: https://farmwell.org.uk/greenzone/
• Farmers can download or print off the checklist and examine which areas are ‘in hand’ and which could be investigated further
• Helpful resources, information and articles about each of the areas highlighted on the checklist can be accessed via FCN’s FarmWell website
• Checklist questions are around topics such as partnership agreements, business objectives, work-life balance, succession planning and links with local community
• A farmer who used the checklist with their family said: “It's a well-oiled key to unlock a sometimes very rusty and stubborn box!”

National charity The Farming Community Network (FCN) has launched a new resilience checklist to help farmers and farm businesses review some of the common components of business and personal resilience – helping them to identify strengths and highlight areas where additional information or support may be beneficial: https://farmwell.org.uk/greenzone/

The Greenzone Checklist is available from FCN’s FarmWell website and contains helpful information around a wide array of topics relating to business, health, forward-planning and community connections.

Users can download or print off the checklist and examine which areas are ‘in hand’ and where they might benefit from investigating further.

The FarmWell website provides a wide range of resources and information in relation to all points raised in the checklist – helping farmers to explore their options and providing helpful insights or ideas.

Topics include partnership agreements, business objectives, work-life balance, diet and exercise, succession planning and links with local communities.

FCN’s FarmWell website launched in 2019 and has since seen more than 50,000 visitors to the platform. It contains a wide range of information designed to support health, wellbeing and business resilience.

Dr Jude McCann, Chief Executive Officer of The Farming Community Network (FCN), said: “Since launch, FarmWell has supported thousands of farmers in exploring their options and planning ahead. We are delighted to now be launching the Greenzone Checklist through FarmWell, which is an easy-to-use way of assessing what’s going well on the farm, and areas that might be beneficial to explore further. This is part of FCN’s proactive work to support farmers’ health, wellbeing and business resilience and to help people to explore their options.”

Mark Suthern, Chair of The Farming Community Network (FCN), said: “FCN’s new resilience checklist will help farmers and farm businesses to review a wide range of both business and personal resilience components – helping them to identify strengths, as well as to highlight areas where additional information can be accessed. It also provides a wide range of resources to help people to access further guidance and support.”

A farmer who utilised the checklist with their family members said: “What a fantastic tool that puts you back on track with a list of things you can to do to alleviate a lot of stress. It's a well-oiled key to unlock a sometimes very rusty and stubborn box!”

Access the Greenzone Checklist here: https://farmwell.org.uk/greenzone/