Terrible harvest weather is taking its toll on the mental wellbeing of farmers, a farm chaplain has warned.
Graham Miles - who is Lightwave rural and agricultural chaplain for Suffolk - runs a special helpline for farmers under stress.
He said small farmers were particularly vulnerable because opportunities to harvest their crops are limited by a number of factors - including weather and access to combines.
He feared some farmers might choose to call it a day as they battle through a particularly challenging harvest season.
Rain has battered and damaged the crops - and meant long delays. Farmers have been watching the weather and waiting for moisture levels to fall sufficiently between the showers so that they can bring in their crops.
The wet, cold weather is in stark contrast to last year when the intense heat and lack of rain broke records. The heatwave did mean, however, that many farmers had harvested their entire crop by this time last year.
This season, heavy rain has also led to roads flooding, "lodging" in soaked fields - where areas of cereal crops are flattened - and long delays with crops still waiting to be combined.
Small farmers rely on contractors to bring in their crops - as they don't own their own combines - and if they miss their slot because it's raining that day they face an agonising wait until the next window opens up, he explained.
Meantime, with many acres of crops -particularly wheat - still waiting to be harvested, some are getting past their prime or risk becoming disease-hit. And once combined, some farmers lack the means to dry them if they contain too much moisture.
He has travelled to various parts of Suffolk over the last few days - including Aldeburgh, Ipswich and Halesworth - and seen signs of crop damage.
"Lots of farmers are struggling anyway but this harvest could see some farmers calling it a day," he said.
"There's just field upon field still standing where the crops are getting damaged and it's just causing a lot of stress to farmers.
"I have had phone calls and it's a case of what do they do next. In some cases they are relying on the harvest financially.
"The moisture content is so high at the moment. A lot of farmers haven't got the drying equipment to take it back into their barns.
"It's just a vicious circle at the moment. It's causing a lot of anxiety and financially it's causing mental health issues as well.
"We are there for them to listen to and off-load and have a rant and a rave."
The farmers' frustration means added stress for families and workers, he said.
While in Aldeburgh this week, he could see signs of wheat fields going black. A lot of the wheats that might otherwise have attained bread milling grade would probably end up as animal feed now, he predicted.
There would also be a knock-on effect for consumers if crops don't make the grade, he added.
"It's just been a total nightmare," he said.
Source - https://www.eadt.co.uk
