Research has found that 40% of farmers who drink are drinking alcohol to harmful levels.
The DCU study also found that nearly 80% of the 1-in-20 farmers who take drugs exceed the threshold for disordered use.
Age was the most important risk factor for disordered alcohol and substance use, along with lower income, and having no children.
Speaking to RedFM News, Timoleague Dairy Farmer and IFA Representative, Gerard Lehane says many farmers are under extreme stress:
"It's pressure, uncertainty and we're not being respected or the food we produce. Uncertainty is a huge issue at the minute. As a dairy farmer, I'm not certain how many cows I will be allowed farm on 1st January 2024. And this is the pressure we are under. The weather now as well is a huge issue - we has a drought in the month of June; now the land is practically waterlogged. Tillage farmers are going to be under service pressure over the coming number of weeks to save the harvest".
