ACC announces further investment into Farmstrong
We’re pleased to be supporting the wellbeing of farmers and growers by investing further in the Farmstrong programme, which is making a positive difference throughout the country.
Photo: From left, dairy farm operator and Farmstrong champion Geoff Spark, ACC Workplace Safety Manager Paula Wood, Hon Nicola Grigg, Farmstrong Board Chair Pete Frizzell and Farmstrong CEO Gerard Vaughan.
Associate Minister for ACC and Agriculture Nicola Grigg was on the ground with Canterbury farmer Geoff Spark to celebrate ACC’s renewed investment in rural wellbeing programme Farmstrong, which will see $2.7 million invested into the programme over the next two years.
This represents the first phase of a five-year agreement ($6.8 million total) between ACC and Farmstrong.
Agriculture remains one of the highest-risk sectors for injury in New Zealand, Ms Grigg says.
“The investment will support the programme’s continued efforts to reduce the incidence and severity of injuries in the agriculture and horticulture sectors by highlighting the link between diminished wellbeing and injuries,” she says.
Dealing with adversity on the farm
In 2024, there were over 17,000 new claims for work-related agriculture injuries. The cost to help injured farmers recover from injuries last year was around $120 million.
Minister Grigg met with Farmstrong champion Geoff, a third-generation farmer who grew up on the family farm in Rangiora.
The family is still farming that same land after 55 years but disaster struck a few years ago. Geoff’s sharemilkers discovered they’d bought some stock infected with Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis), a bacteria that affects cattle – impacting the health, welfare and productivity of infected animals.
They had to rebuild the herd from scratch, worrying about cashflow along the way.
That experience taught Geoff a lot about himself and the value of teamwork.
Geoff’s story – Always a way through
Farmstrong champion Geoff Spark showing Hon Nicola Grigg around his farm.
Strong link between wellbeing and injury
ACC Workplace Injury Prevention Manager Paula Wood says there’s a strong link between a farmer’s wellbeing and the rate of accidents and injury.
In 2019, Farmstrong’s ACC-funded research found that 58 per cent of injured farmers reported at least one aspect of diminished wellbeing was a contributor to their most recent injury, while 24 per cent reported that diminished wellbeing was a major contributor to their injury.
These injuries accounted for 30 per cent of the costs for injury claims from farmers.
“Farmstrong offers advice to farmers and their families to help them manage the ups and downs of the industry, so they can continue to farm well and live well, and go home safe at the end of every day,” Wood says.
Investment in Farmstrong making a difference
ACC partnered with rural insurer FMG and the Mental Health Foundation in 2016 to deliver Farmstrong.
The rural wellbeing programme was established as a response to the unmet need for improving the psychosocial environment in farming and horticulture, Farmstrong CEO Gerard Vaughan says.
“There’s been an incredibly positive response from the agricultural sector to Farmstrong’s messaging, tools and resources,” he says.
“Farmstrong is now a well-established part of the rural landscape in New Zealand, with over 20,000 farmers attributing an improvement in their wellbeing to Farmstrong in 2025. The progress the sector’s made over the past decade has been amazing.
“Farmstrong’s mission to support farmers is just as relevant today as when it was launched. The pressures aren’t going to disappear.
“We want as many farmers and growers as possible to use Farmstrong’s tools and resources to help them, their teams and their families perform at their best, manage pressure and stay safe and well.
“ACC’s investment is making a real difference to the lives of farmers and their families through the impact of increased wellbeing and preventing injury. With its continuing support, we can reach many more people in the sector in the years ahead."
There’s a lot of great advice available to farmers on the Farmstrong website, which offers a range of practical resources and guidance to help farmers and growers stay safe and well.
