Farmstrong: Looking after those who look after the land

In 2015, no one could have predicted how many lives Farmstrong would impact. Back then, the agricultural wellbeing programme first took root in New Zealand after receiving seed funding from Movember. Fast forward to 2025, and Farmstrong has a firm hold in Scotland. In fact, it’s had a bumper run over the past 3 years. Read on to see how Farmstrong has grown – and how it’s sown the seeds for even greater future events and programmes for Scottish farmers and crofters.

What is Farmstrong?

Farmstrong is a free initiative that offers practical tools and community events to help farmers and crofters develop their mental, physical and social wellbeing. Its ultimate goal is to give farmers, crofters and those in the agricultural community the skills to live well, farm well and get the most out of life.

Farmstrong’s core community building, fundraising and awareness activities take place at agricultural shows, industry events and community events across Scotland, throughout the year and often in collaboration with other agri organisations. They also run their own events, on farms and crofts, or in places familiar to the agricultural community such as rugby clubs. These typically focus on peer-to-peer networking and social wellbeing, often offering something to learn and laugh about.

Positive impact in numbers

In 2024, 569 Scottish farmers were surveyed about how they were feeling, the ways they manage their own wellbeing and the impact Farmstrong’s activities and resources have had on their lives. The results speak for themselves:

• 62% of those who interacted with Farmstrong Scotland say it had a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.
• 93% of those who downloaded their Stressed Out leaflet said it made a positive impact.
• 21% of farmers and crofters say their ability to cope with the ups and downs of farming has improved in the past 12 months.

In 2024 alone, Farmstrong Scotland engaged in person with over 3,600 people from the Scottish agricultural community. Hundreds more have engaged and supported Farmstrong since its official launch in 2023. To date, £343,500 has been raised by the Farmstrong team and its community, which has been match funded by Movember.

Yes, Farmstrong has a podcast.

It’s called Blether Together - and you can listen to it right here It’s a platform for real, relatable stories of the challenges Scottish crofters and farmers face and the steps they take to help them to stay well; all told straight from the farmers’ and crofters’ mouths.

And audiences have flocked to it. Blether Together now boasts over 7,500 downloads and an exciting line-up of future guests. Host Sarah Stephen has even taken the show on the road, going live in rural communities in Scotland, where locals have crowded into pubs and clubhouses to hear and share experiences.

Come for the rugby. Stay for the chats.

Talk at this year’s Come Ashore Cup wasn’t just ignited by two teams with deep agricultural roots digging in for every inch. Spectators came out to cheer on Caithness and Orkney – and stand behind the Farmstrong Scotland message. Chat in the stands circled around the wellbeing of Scottish agriculture; its challenges as much as its successes.

Farmstrong Chairman John Scott sees the big match as a huge opportunity to strengthen the community. He said, “Hearing the powerful discussions and connections that take place, and seeing firsthand the real positive impact of the annual event on everyone is something special.”

How’s it Going?

The research shows that farmers and crofters, whilst taking great care of their livestock, machinery, crops and land, often neglect themselves.That’s why Farmstrong created the How’s It Going interactive tool. It lets people check in on themselves and connects them with helpful resources relevant to their mood, for example how stressed or sociable they’ve been feeling lately. This allows for different signposting depending on the answers and is tailored to offer more specific resources or event suggestions. No app or subscription required. It’s quick, free and easy.

Better still, in September 2025, the annual Farmstrong Scotland Wellbeing Survey will land. Its findings will present the most accurate picture of the concerns, priorities and needs are of the people Farmstrong supports. Because once we better understand what they want, they’ll be able to create the programmes, resources and solutions to best meet those needs.

Farmstrong couldn’t have gotten this far without you

The support the community has given Farmstrong isn’t lost on Chairman John Scott. “Farmstrong wouldn’t have had such a successful couple of years without the people who have been involved and embraced what it’s all about.” He continued, “For us, being present year-round is vital to spreading awareness and understanding of what Farmstrong is - and that’s encouraging others to get involved in the conversation.”

Check out the tools in the Farmstrong shed

Farmstrong’s got plenty of resources to build and develop your mental and physical resilience. What’s more, we’ve created videos, blogs, infographics and more all with farmers and crofters in mind. Check it all out here.

If you’d like to know more about Farmstrong, don’t hesitate to email hello@farmstrongscotland.org.uk