Overwhelmed by workload pressure, self-doubt and a fear of what others expected of him, fifth generation farmer Sam Spencer-Bower stopped being able to function. It took six months before his wife – and Sir John Kirwan – helped convince him to get help.

In this episode, Sam kindly joins us to share his mental health journey: the underlying causes, learning to talk about it, the road to recovery, and the skills he’s developed to cope with the stresses of the job, so he can keep on enjoying dairy farming. 

Notes
Where to get help - DairyNZ
Farmer wellbeing - DairyNZ
Inside Dairy - DairyNZ (see page 13 of June/July 2023 edition)
Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ (rural-support.org.nz)
Home - Farmstrong - Live Well Farm Well

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