There are mental health issues "right across" agriculture, according to National Farmers' Federation (NFF) president David Jochinke.
Speaking after a mental health forum held in Melbourne last week, Mr Jochinke said there was an urgent need to improve mental health and wellbeing support services for the sector.
The forum, hosted by the NFF, saw attendance from 30 rural mental health and wellbeing service providers and charities.
"Every organisation there reaffirmed the knowledge that there are mental health issues right across agriculture," Mr Jochinke said.
"They're talking numbers like 20 per cent of all those working in agriculture having mental health or wellbeing issues."
The NFF president said those in agriculture were up to 10 times more likely to die by suicide than those working in any other industry.
He warned farming needs to "open up and talk as an industry" to find ways to solve the issue.
Mr Jochinke said "the black dog doesn't have a particular taste" when it came to those vulnerable to mental health struggles.
He said support was needed for men and women and those of all ages.
He described triggers to poor mental health which there must be greater support for - finance, weather disasters and alcoholism.
Mr Jochinke said when farmers got into "deeper water" with farm finances there needed to be more support to guide them back to financial viability.
"When they are in those darker times, issues are generally compounded by alcohol," he said.
Weather disasters have really affected Australian farmers in recent years, according to Mr Jochinke.
He said these natural events were "beyond farmers' control" and during them, support services such as Rural Aid tried to step up their assistance.
However, he said "you can't make someone more resistant when they're knocked down by so many issues".
The NFF president also said farmer bashing by animal rights activists and other groups was affecting their mental health.
"When we talk about animal rights activists, no one steps up for us," he said.
"That's what farmers get frustrated about."
He said 70pc to 80pc of farmers felt they were not appreciated.
"We've got to leverage people's trust in agriculture," he said.
"It's a cornerstone of civilisation and as agriculture, we have to bring pride back."
Next steps
Mr Jochinke said the Melbourne mental health forum was about understanding what government was doing to provide support for farmers suffering from mental health issues in rural areas, what agencies and charities were doing and where the gaps were.
"How can we fill them?", he asked.
"Are the gaps there geographically or is it industry wide?"
He said the NFF could not drive a campaign for greater mental health support in rural areas but it could "amplify" the work of other groups.
Mr Jochinke said the forum found shared policy recommendations which can now be put forward to state and federal politicians.
"Awareness around mental health is growing which is a positive step in the right direction but we need to build on that and explore new ideas," he said.
