Farmers' BSE despair
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Agriculture industry leaders are to set up a full-time counselling service to cope with of the rising number of farmers being driven to despair by the BSE crisis.
The service, which will involve the Samaritans, is to be set up as soon as possible and could cost more than pounds 100,000.
Farming has traditionally been a high-risk industry in terms of suicide, largely because of the isolation farmers often work in.
But industry leaders say the number of farmers crying out for help has increased dramatically since the EU ban on British beef was imposed earlier this year.
For several years, the Royal Agricultural Society of England, in conjunction with the Samaritans and the National Farmers' Union, has provided help to farmers suffering from stress. But the society's chief executive, Charles Runge, said yesterday that the problems being posed by the continuing BSE crisis had made officials realise that a full-time service was needed.
Hundreds more farmers had been seeking help during the past few months.
"There has always been a problem, but because of BSE it has come roaring to a head," Mr Runge said.
"There will be more people taking their own lives as a result of BSE than there will be people dying from eating beef."
Mr Runge added: "A lot of people who have contacted me are not so much angry as bloody frightened.
"They see their livelihoods being taken away from them for reasons they don't understand."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments