Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF), Media Release, 10 November 2025

A new Federation University study has revealed farmers and communities are buckling under the mental health strain posed by energy and mining developments in the Wimmera and Southern Mallee regions.

The study was conducted between February and June 2025 and focused on seventeen farmers and found:

• Mental health impacts are real.
• Rural solidarity is under strain.
• Farmers are losing their identity and role.
• Family connection to the land is strong.
• Farmers are proud stewards of the environment.

Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President Brett Hosking said the findings were a stark reminder of the hidden challenges farmers faced in the face of accelerating land use conflicts.

“So often we hear about the visual impacts of these energy and mining developments, but we can’t dismiss the hidden strain on communities and farmers’ mental health.”

“It’s incredibly daunting when these huge corporations backed by our government streamroll onto your farm and wave a compulsory access notice at you threatening to remove your most valuable resource, without first taking the time to talk.”

“Tragically an Australian farmer dies by suicide every 10 days. That’s more than twice the rate of other working Australians.”

“This independent academic assessment confirms what communities and the VFF have been saying. It should sound alarm bells that this crash or crash through approach is having deep human and community impacts,” Mr Hosking said.    

Despite the enormous issues highlighted in the study, it found potential solutions to reduce the stress on farmers and the local community, including:

• Validate emotional responses and prioritise community.
• Strengthen legislative and policy protections for agriculture and farmer wellbeing.
• Improve confidence and security around decommissioning and rehabilitation.
• Inclusion of agricultural and socio-cultural impacts in future planning processes.
• Introduce geographic and cumulative impact analysis into project assessment.
• Community benefits need community.

“So much tragedy and stress could be avoided if the process was flipped on its head and the community and farmers were genuinely consulted from the beginning.”

“We need to urgently increase mental health services in these communities to provide much-needed support.”

 “These companies and our government can still do that, it’s not too late,” Mr Hosking said.

If you or anyone you know needs help:

• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• ifarmwell at https://ifarmwell.com.au/farmer-friendly-mental-health-resources
• Farmer Health Support Hub at https://farmerhealth.org.au/support-hub
• Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
• Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
• Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
• Headspace on 1800 650 890
• ReachOut at au.reachout.com
• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
• Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) on 1800 008 774
• Head to Health at headtohealth.gov.au
• Sober in the Country at www.soberinthecountry.org