Australian farmers face mental health crisis threatening food supply

A new report has identified a mental health crisis within the Australian agricultural sector that poses a direct threat to the nation's food supply. The 2026 Norco National Farmer Wellbeing Report, produced in partnership with the Black Dog Institute, reveals that 41 per cent of Australian farmers are considering leaving the industry due to burnout, rising costs, and repeated natural disasters.

The findings highlight severe psychological distress among producers, with 54 per cent reporting feeling depressed or down in the last two years and one in three stating their mental health has deteriorated over the past year. Most alarmingly, one in seven farmers reported thoughts of self-harm or suicide during the same period.

Individual accounts, such as those from dairy farmer Jane Polson, illustrate the cumulative impact of environmental stressors. Polson experienced significant livestock and infrastructure losses during devastating floods in 2021 and again during record-breaking floods in 2025. Professor Samuel Harvey of the Black Dog Institute described the intersection of occupational, social, and environmental stresses as a crisis that can no longer be ignored.