Farming
Pledge

Caring for those who Feed The Nation

Farming is the backbone of our nation, yet behind the landscapes, livestock, and long days lies a sector facing unique pressures. The combination of long working hours, financial uncertainty, regulatory changes, unpredictable weather, and social isolation can take a significant toll on mental wellbeing.

The Farming Pledge is an initiative created by The Baton of Hope in partnership with The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies). This dedicated initiative for the farming and rural community has been designed so that organisations nationwide can pledge their support and sign, committing to ensuring their industry, workspaces and way of life are psychologically safe. Our aim is to create open, supportive environments where people feel able to talk about mental health and access help without fear of judgement.

Following on from the success of our Workplace Pledge, the Farming Pledge will ensure that through the essential network that Yellow Wellies has established, we can reach farming communities up and down the country with our resources, training and support.

The Farming Pledge is:

Part of the UK’s largest suicide prevention initiative.

Accredited and includes certified training delivered by registered healthcare professionals.

Meets ISO 45003 and BS 30480 standards of psychological safety in the workplace.

Accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health and certified by The CPD Certification Service

Our online training, face-to-face workshops and courses have been delivered to thousands of our Pledgers. As part of the Farming Pledge, organisations can sign up to different levels which include different resources, support and hands-on training from The Baton of Hope team, which has been validated by healthcare professionals.

A note from Yellow Wellies on the Farming Pledge

Farming is more than a profession – it is a way of life. But it can be isolating, relentless and uncertain. Long hours, physical graft and a culture of “just get on with it” keep our industry moving but they can also keep too many of us silent for too long. We have seen much progress in talking about mental health, yet suicide prevention still lags. That has to change.

As a small charity working every day to keep our farmers fit, safe and well, Yellow Wellies is proud to support The Baton of Hope’s Farming Pledge – a commitment to safer, more supportive workplaces and communities. It asks each of us to learn the signs, start honest conversations and signpost timely help, so a struggle does not become a crisis.

In a sector that wears resilience as a badge of honour, let’s redefine strength as looking out for one another. Please take The Farming Pledge. Share it with your team. Stand with us. Suicide is preventable; together, we can save lives.

Stephanie Berkeley

Charity Manager, The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies)

Why Sign Up to the Farming Pledge?

For many organisations, knowing where to start with supporting their employees with their mental health can be daunting. They know they need to do something, but don’t know where to start. That’s why we’ve made it simple with The Farming Pledge. Each organisation will get access to guidance, resources, print material and training to immediately implement within their organisations.

Why is the pledge important for the farming community?

Farmers often work long hours, face financial uncertainty, isolation, weather-dependent stress, and expectations linked to family legacy. These pressures mean the farming sector is disproportionately affected by mental-health challenges. The pledge helps start conversations and provides tools to support rural wellbeing.

Research conducted by Yellow Wellies also demonstrates the need for more support and action around the mental wellbeing of those within the farming community…

View sources here.

What you commit to when signing the committing Farming Pledge

Removing and eradicating the stigma around mental health in the workplace and way of life.

Increasing awareness of suicide within the farming & agricultural community.

Improving and doing their best to save lives.

Making suicide awareness, support and prevention a priority.

What’s Involved in The FARMING Pledge?

We offer four different levels for organisations for The Farming Pledge – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Corporate. Find out more about them below.

Bronze
A suite of resources including posters, worksheets, guidelines and checklists that you can display around your offices, pass onto your employees to use, and share with your teams to ensure managers and employees can keep your workforce safe with practical guidance. All of our resources are based on established clinical models.

Myth Busting and Language Guides: offering helpful advice around how to approach key situations or conversations with those that may be affected by suicide.

Audio guides: dedicated audio clips to walk you and your team members through a Guided Body Scan, Guided Meditation and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Reflections.

Our Bronze Workplace Pledge logos, which you can use on both internal and external communications and marketing material to promote your commitment.
Silver
Everything in the Bronze package, plus…

One full day of face-to-face training in Sucide Awareness and/or Mental Health Foundations.

Our Silver Workplace Pledge logos.
Gold
Everything in the Bronze and Silver packages, plus…

A one-to-one online consultation and three full days of face-to-face training or consultancy delivered by professionals. Training includes Suicide Awareness & Prevention and Mental Health Foundations.

Our Gold Workplace Pledge logos.
Corporate

How To Sign Up

£100

+VAT

then £100+VAT / year

£2,500

+VAT

then £2500 +VAT / year

£5,000

+VAT

reoccurring fee tbc

Get In Touch

Corporate by Enquiry

Get In Touch

Farming Pledge FAQ’s

Who can sign the Farming Pledge?

We would encourage any businesses, organisations or societies to sign up to our Farming Pledge. The Baton of Hope and Yellow Wellies have created this to ensure organisations of any size can use the resources and training included.
Is there a cost involved?

You will see a full breakdown of costs for our Farming Pledge levels in the How To Sign Up table above. We have made it our aim to ensure fees attached to training and resources created for this are cost-effective for organisations and not-for-profit focussed so that those within the farming community can benefit from them without having to pay above the odds. All profits from the Farming Pledge will go directly back into our life-saving work at The Baton of Hope.
Do we need specialist knowledge before signing?

To ensure all staff and workplaces get the practical information and skills they require for their day-to-day work and lives, no specialist knowledge is required in order to sign up to the Farming Pledge. Our training and resources have been designed to give awareness and toolkits to those who want to improve and save lives.
Is this legally binding?

There is currently no statutory regulation for suicide awareness and prevention in the workplace. However, there is BS 30480 and ISO 45003 as guidelines. We also ask all Pledgers to sign a form ensuring they will maximise our training and resources and be accountable for the psychological welfare of all.
What happens after we sign the Farming Pledge?

Pledgers of all levels of the Farming Pledge will receive the relevant level logo, a certificate and all documents and files included in our resources pack. The Baton of Hope team will also get in touch with you if your Pledge level includes training or consultancy to arrange dates and details for when this will take place.
Can we upgrade our Farming Pledge to a higher level later?

Yes. Depending on your current level and when you are ready to think about the next level of the Farming Pledge that is right for your organisation, you can move up to a higher tier. We find that most Pledgers use a combination of a level together with some consultancy and online training to maximise the impact of their Pledge. If you need any further information on how to do this, please contact The Baton of Hope team using the form on our Contact Us page.
Do we receive a certificate or recognition for signing up to the Farming Pledge?

Yes. Every organisation that signs up to our Pledges receives a certificate and relevant level logos to use as you see fit. We find that displaying your certificate somewhere prominent in your workplace is something that most Pledgers do, and logos are often used on internal communications, email signatures, websites and online news stories.
How long does the Farming Pledge last?

FarmingPledge

Caring for those who Feed The Nation

The Farming Pledge is:

A note from Yellow Wellies on the Farming Pledge

Charity Manager, The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies)

Why Sign Up to the Farming Pledge?

Why is the pledge important for the farming community?

What you commit to when signing the committing Farming Pledge

What’s Involved in The FARMING Pledge?

How To Sign Up

£100

£2,500

£5,000

Corporate by Enquiry

Farming Pledge FAQ’s

Farming
Pledge