FARMING WOMEN’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOCUS OF NEW RESEARCH

“Women play vital roles in running and supporting farm businesses and households, but the implications (both good and bad) of farming life for their physical and mental health has not always been given the attention it deserves” – Dr Rebecca Wheeler

• A major new study by the University of Exeter’s Centre for Rural Policy Research and The Farming Community Network (FCN) will provide crucial insights into farming and gender-specific stressors that can affect women in agriculture, as well as barriers to accessing relevant support
• Previous studies show that a significant number of women in UK agriculture suffer from poor mental health – though the reasons underlying this are poorly understood
• This research will provide recommendations for improving health and wellbeing support for women in agriculture

The health and wellbeing of women in UK agriculture – including potential gender-specific stressors in farming and barriers to seeking support - will be the focus of new research by the University of Exeter’s Centre for Rural Policy Research (CRPR) and The Farming Community Network (FCN).

Women in UK agriculture have rarely been the focus of health-related research but are likely to face a range of both gender and farming-specific challenges.

Previous research shows that a significant number of women in UK agriculture suffer from poor mental health, but the reasons underlying this are poorly understood.

The new study, titled ‘Understanding health and wellbeing among farm women: a life-course approach’, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), started in January 2025 and is led by Dr Rebecca Wheeler from the CRPR.

Through surveys and detailed interviews, this research will provide insights into the farming and gender-specific stressors that can affect women in agriculture - and the impacts on both their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

It will also explore the ways in which women experience and understand their health through, and in relation to, their bodies - with a focus on how this may change across the life-course, during periods of high stress or trauma, and in relation to their reproductive lives.

Dr Rebecca Wheeler, Project Lead and Senior Research Fellow at the CRPR, said: “Women play vital roles in running and supporting farm businesses and households, but the implications (both good and bad) of farming life for their physical and mental health has not always been given the attention it deserves.

“This research will change that by listening to women’s own experiences of health throughout their lives, shining a light on gender-specific issues and exploring ways of supporting and maintaining better wellbeing in the future. We are thrilled to be working with FCN on this project, which addresses such an important topic.”  

Professor Matt Lobley, Project Co-Lead and Co-director of the CRPR, said: “This research builds on the CRPR’s long-standing work to understand and support the health and wellbeing of our farming communities and reflects our commitment to working with non-academic partners to bring about positive change in society.”

Alex Phillimore, Head of Communications and Development at The Farming Community Network, said: “This research will provide important insights into the unique challenges and stressors women in agriculture may face at different stages in their lives. The learnings from this project will help to inform the work of FCN, offering the charity deeper insights into the challenges women in farming can face and how their health and wellbeing needs can best be met through tailored support.”

Linda Jones, National Manager (Wales) at The Farming Community Network, said: “Farm women’s voices are rarely heard and in general society does not understand the unique challenges they face having to be often an off-farm earner, main care-giver, farm secretary, as well as active participants in actual farming events such as at lambing time. This research will provide us with much-needed evidence to start addressing their wellbeing needs.”