Western Australian Farmers Research Articles

Supporting mental health in farming communities where and when it is needed most: A longitudinal analysis of risk and protective factors

The cyclical nature of agriculture exposes farmers to challenges that vary over time, influenced by a myriad of external factors beyond their control. This longitudinal study aimed to examine mental health trajectories for Western Australian farmers over a 12 month period, and determine associations with key risk and protective factors. Farmers and farm residents (N = 125) completed an online survey at three timepoints (baseline, 6 months and 12 months) that assessed anxiety, depression, stress, farming stressors, coping strategies, sense of belonging and social supports. Survey timing coincided with periods of harvest and seeding. Risk factors associated with poorer mental health among farmers included a range of dysfunctional and emotion coping strategies, family/relationship stressors, financial/external stressors and daily stressors. Protective factors included sense of belonging and social support. Stress was found to change over time and family/relationship stressors and financial/external stressors at baseline were found to moderate anxiety and stress at 6 months and 12 months. Addressing factors associated with poor mental health trajectories and bolstering factors that are protective for mental health over time will aid clinical and community services in tailoring their services to meet the needs of farmers.

Farming, finance and family: factors associated with anxiety, depression and stress among Western Australian farmers

Abstract Farming is a challenging, stressful and rewarding occupation involving many factors that are beyond farmers’ control. The aim of this study was to investigate correlates associated with the anxiety, depression and stress of farmers in Western Australia. Farmers and farm residents (N = 124) completed an online survey assessing anxiety, depression, stress, farming stressors, social supports, coping strategies and sense of belonging. Higher financial/external trade and societal pressures, family/relationship tension, use of coping strategies such as self-blame, venting, disengagement and planning, lack of succession planning and considering selling the farm, and lower social support and sense of belonging, were associated with higher anxiety, depression and/or stress. The findings highlight the specific impacts of financial and family pressures on poorer mental health status among farmers. Clinical and community interventions that build on naturally occurring strengths, such as family support and community connectedness, are needed.

Calm the farm or incite a riot? Animal activists and the news media: A public relations case study in agenda-setting and framing

The ideological differences between animal activists and primary producers are long-standing, existing long before the advent of social media with its widespread communicative capabilities. Primary producers have continued to rely on traditional media channels to promote their products. In contrast, animal activists have increasingly adopted livestreaming on social media platforms and ‘direct action’ protest tactics to garner widespread public and media attention while promoting vegetarianism/veganism, highlighting issues in animal agriculture and disrupting the notion of the ‘happy farm animal’. This paper uses a case study approach to discuss the events that unfolded when direct action animal activists came into conflict with Western Australian farmers and businesses in 2019. The conflict resulted in increased news reporting, front-page coverage from mainstream press, arrests and parliamentary law changes. This case study explores how the activists’ strategic communication activities, which included livestreaming their direct actions and other social media tactics, were portrayed by one major Australian media outlet and the farmers’ interest groups’ reactions to them.

Knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations of farmers in Abu Dhabi and Western Australia on groundwater management: A comparison study

AbstractIn Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, groundwater is the only natural freshwater resource. This resource is under great stress due to high extraction rates, low precipitation/recharge rates, and increasing levels of salinity. This is comparable with groundwater issues in Western Australia, which also faces water challenges. Just like Western Australia, Abu Dhabi is heavily dependent on groundwater to support agricultural irrigation, which uses nearly 70% of the groundwater extracted. Unlike Western Australia, however, agriculture in Abu Dhabi relies heavily on governmental subsidies, despite its negligible contribution to the economy. This study aimed to fill the gap in understanding about Abu Dhabi farmers’, and Western Australian farmers’, knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations concerning groundwater management. A comparison of the findings related to these factors among both populations was used to develop ideas for future groundwater awareness programs targeting Abu Dhabi farmers. The theoretical framework of this research was based on the fifth step of Bennett's Hierarchy model, which is a popular method for measuring the effectiveness of extension programs. Twelve Abu Dhabi farmers were interviewed regarding groundwater management in Abu Dhabi. The interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis, and the findings were compared to Western Australian farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations concerning sustainable agricultural practices, which were synthesized from relevant literature. The study revealed that the interviewed Abu Dhabi farmers realized the importance of agriculture and groundwater. However, they viewed agriculture more as a hobby than a source of income and had cultural and social ties to farming. They also possessed limited knowledge regarding agriculture's environmental impacts. A trust or communication problem between the farmers and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, the governmental authority in charge of irrigation and agricultural extension, was also identified. Abu Dhabi farmers chose basic measures to preserve groundwater, and most were unwilling to adopt additional practices. Western Australian farmers, on the other hand, possessed more detailed knowledge about agriculture's environmental impacts and were willing to adopt sustainable practices so long as they did not affect their income. The following recommendations are made for extension programs targeting Abu Dhabi farmers: Focus on developing a shared vision regarding groundwater conservation; include a farm laborers’ extension program; foster trust between extension agents and farmers; use demonstration farms for new technologies; and link governmental farmers’ subsidies to the adoption of water efficiency. This study calls for future research on the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority's water conservation extension programs, as well as on the effect of demographic factors on Abu Dhabi farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations.

The Narrative Economy of Social Media: Mobilising Farming Economies, Identities and Relations

This paper looks at social media as new fields through which Western Australian farmers of black truffles negotiate potentially global consumer markets. The author argues that the analytical concept of narrative economy deserves greater exploration in social theories on market relations through changing mediascapes. Some farmers embrace social media as influential, though problematic, marketing forums while others refuse to engage. What ensues are shifting distributions of economic, social, cultural, and symbolic capital as truffle farmers who use social media have strategic development advantages over those who do not.

Exploring the Feasibility of a Web-based System for Farmers Access to Current Agricultural Research Information in Western Australia

This paper discusses the phases of design, development and evaluation of a Web-based information system for easy tracking of current agricultural research information. This system comes in the form of a web site, linked to a database that stores agricultural research information, which can be interrogated by farmers and researchers using simple search tools. The value of this system relies in its ability to provide up-to-date agricultural research information, delivered in a readily accessible form and specifically designed for an audience with rather poor communication links to Web-based information. The development of the AgResearch prototype arose from discussions with a group of Western Australian farmers and researchers in regards to the need for increased communication between the two groups in relation to agricultural research projects. The development of a system with characteristics similar to the prototype designed in this research would benefit the agricultural industry in Western Australia, as currently there is no farmer focused, state wide, mass distribution system in place for the dissemination of up-to-date agricultural research information.

An assessment of the value of seasonal forecasting technology for Western Australian farmers

Of the number of seasonal forecasting systems that have been developed of late, none are of practical benefit to Western Australian farmers. This study aims to improve the methodology for assessing the value of forecasting technology ex ante to its development, using the Merredin agricultural region of Western Australia as an illustration. Results suggest that a seasonal forecasting technology that provides a 30% decrease in seasonal uncertainty increases annual profits by approximately 5%. The accumulated annual benefit to farmers in the Merredin region (an area with 754 farm holdings over 35,500 km 2 of land) is approximately 2 million dollars. Hence, support is given for the development of seasonal forecasting techniques in Western Australia.

Willingness to Pay for Continued Government Service Provision: the Case of Agriculture Protection Services

In recent years, the contingent valuation technique has been significantly refined as a method of obtaining values of goods and services in situations where market transaction are absent. It has now found widespread application in the valuation of the environment, and in valuing the preservation of animal species. In this paper we apply the technique to the valuation of more conventional government services, namely the provision by the government of a range of agricultural protection services. The empirical analysis is based on contingent valuation surveys administered to a sample of Western Australian farmers. Logit and ordinary regression models are used to analyse the determinants of individual willingness to pay and estimate aggregate willingness to pay. Estimated aggregate willingness to pay is similar for all specifications. At just over $10 million, it exceeds substantially the estimated annual costs of providing the services.

Contingent Valuation Analysis of Government Provision of Agricultural Protection Services

The contingent valuation technique has been significantly refined as a method of obtaining values of goods and services in situations where market transactions are absent and now finds widespread application in the valuation of the environment, and in valuing the preservation of animal species. Applies the technique to the valuation of more conventional government services, namely the provision by the government of a range of agricultural protection services. The empirical analysis is based on contingent valuation surveys administered to a sample of Western Australian farmers.