NEW research released on Wednesday painted a saddening picture of the mental health of Australia’s hard-working farmers, with close to a third (30 per cent) reporting a decline in their mental health over the past few years.

The National Farmer Wellbeing Report commissioned by Norco - Australia’s oldest and largest 100 per cent farmer owned dairy co-operative - in partnership with the National Farmers’ Federation, has found that in recent years, nearly half of Australian farmers (45 per cent) have felt depressed, with almost two thirds (64 per cent) experiencing anxiety.