Stuart Anderson MP has launched a campaign to improve farm safety in South Shropshire. It is in recognition of the importance of protecting the wellbeing of farmers and their families.
Farming is one of the most hazardous industries in the UK. It accounts for just one per cent of the working population but a quarter of all workplace deaths.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Report for 2024/25, 23 people lost their lives on farms in Great Britain. The statistics, published on 2nd July 2025, show that the five-year average for fatal injuries in this sector is 25.
As someone who started his career as a farm hand in rural Herefordshire, Stuart has been working tirelessly to address challenges facing farmers and rural residents in South Shropshire since his election.
This has included the importance of investing in rural mental health - an issue that he has taken up with Ministers, given the high number of suicides in the agricultural sector.
Last year, Stuart called on the government to continue the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund. This has supported 79 organisations who work with people experiencing suicidal thoughts or who are approaching a mental health crisis.
In correspondence with Stuart, Mental Health Minister Baroness Merron has said:
"The Department will evaluate the impact of the 2023-2025 Suicide Prevention Grant Fund and the services that have been provided by the grant-funded organisations. Learning from the evaluation will help to inform the delivery of the Government’s mission to reduce the number of lives lost to suicide."
Stuart is now backing Farm Safety Week, which is running between 21st and 25th July 2025. It aims to highlight the importance of farm safety and change attitudes towards working safely in the industry.
The campaign hopes prevent accidents and injuries in workplaces across the agriculture. It is organised by the Farm Safety Foundation, which is known as ‘Yellow Wellies’ and is a leading charity dedicated to improving farm safety.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"I am concerned that the average number of fatal injuries on our farms has been stuck at 25 for five years. This is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by the farmers who put the foot that we eat on our plate. I want to do everything that I can to prevent further tragedies and ensure every farm is a safe place to work. So, on Farm Safety Week, I urge everyone to join me in prioritising farm safety. Working together, we can deliver a safer future for everyone in the agricultural sector."
Farm Safety Foundation Manager Stephanie Berkeley said:
"Over the years, we have seen the attitudes and behaviours around farm safety changing but the pace of change is slow - too slow for the families of those we have lost in the industry and too slow for the thousands of farmers suffering every day with long-term ill-health or serious injuries as a result of their wok. This year's campaign offers an opportunity for a reset in the way we approach farm safety and risk-tasking. Each of us can improve how we work on the farm but we also have a responsibility not to tolerate poor safety behaviours in others. It's not somebody else's job to drive this change in culture, and we can not rely on luck when going about our daily tasks - luck has a habit of running out."
Stuart runs a ‘Mental Health Hub’, which he published in May 2024 to make it easier to identify the range of assistance on offer. It signposts both government and external services which can help people experiencing mental health difficulties.
For more information on ‘Farm Safety Week’ visit www.yellowwellies.org or follow @yellowwelliesUK on X/Facebook/Instagram using the hashtag #FarmSafetyWeek
