Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
The Government has announced new funding to strengthen mental‑health support for young people in rural communities, launching a wellbeing leadership initiative at Fieldays aimed at the next generation of farmers.
The move comes as rural mental‑health pressures continue to rise, with isolation, high workloads, volatile markets and workforce shortages placing strain on young people entering the sector. Successive reports over the past decade have highlighted the need for earlier, community‑based support — particularly for young farmers who often shoulder responsibility early in their careers.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson say the new Rural Wellbeing Champions Programme is designed to grow grassroots leaders who can support their peers and lead conversations about mental health in their regions.
Minister for Mental Health of New Zealand
“Building the future means investing in our young farmers who help shape one of New Zealand’s most important industries,” Doocey says. “This programme will help develop regional wellbeing champions who can lead wellbeing conversations and support their peers in rural communities.”
The Government is investing $98,000 to support the 100 Champions Rural Wellbeing Programme, delivered by New Zealand Young Farmers in partnership with Farmstrong. The initiative will be embedded within the New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year Contest — long regarded as a proving ground for future rural leaders.
Up to 150 young farmers will take part, receiving tools and training to check in on their own wellbeing and support their mates through challenging seasons.
Doocey says young people today are more open and equipped to talk about mental health than previous generations, and the programme aims to build on that strength.
Patterson says the investment is about strengthening rural communities from the inside out.
“Our young farmers are more than the future of New Zealand agriculture — they are the future of our rural communities. By investing in their wellbeing today, we help cultivate resilient leaders, stronger families, and thriving rural communities for generations to come.”
The announcement follows more than $100 million in mental‑health investments unveiled this week, including expanded maternal mental‑health services, new inpatient beds, and additional frontline support roles.
