Organisers of Kyneton Saleyards’ livestock trade donned technicoloured workwear garments last Wednesday to raise awareness for farmers’ mental health.
The apparel’s design bore the words, ‘this is a conversation starter’, printed on its back.
Dean Coxon, a livestock agent at Elders Kyneton, had the farmers’ attention for the livestock bidding war and sent a message before it began.
“If anybody needs to have a talk, please check in on your neighbours, your friends, your family,” he said.
He spoke about the intention of the shirts with the Express.
“They’re a bit of a novelty and perhaps a little bit uncomfortable at times, but people can’t just walk past them. They ask you what they’re about and that’s the whole idea of them, to start these conversations.
“It’s a really hard time locally at the minute within the farming community and we thought if we could help one person, to perhaps go and speak to someone, it’s going to be worth it.
“We need to lose that stigma that there’s something wrong with going and asking for help.”
Candice Cordy, branch manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions, said a lot of farmers didn’t have a local pub or sporting club due to their remote lifestyle and used the Kyneton Saleyards as a meeting ground to connect with like-minded individuals.
“There’s a lot of studies around the social impact of saleyards,” she said.
“A lot of farmers are not selling or buying, they’re just here for the social aspect of it.”
The Rotary Club hosts a free sausage sizzle at the bi-monthly livestock trade to support this sentiment and a sign at the front of entrance of the cattle pens says, ‘FARMER R.U.O.K. TELL YOUR G.P.’
Trademutt, the Australian company that created the workwear garments, donates 50 per cent of the profits to This Is A Conversation Starter, a free counselling service for blue-collar workers. They are available for calls and texts on 0488 846 988.
