Survey of the health of New Zealand farmers, October - November 1980

Abstract

At the 1977 Lincoln College Farmers' Conference the author presided over a symposium on Labour and Social Relations in Rural areas. Before concluding his introductory remarks: he gave participants a 'shopping list' of nine matters that in his view required attention. One of these was the need for a national survey of those who work on our farms to identify the particular health risks to which they are exposed. The author held the view that farmer health could be a factor of significance to anyone endeavouring to identify the conditions for an expansion of agricultural output in New Zealand. A pilot survey was launched among 50 farmers in the Canterbury District in 1979. In 1980 the Department of Health expressed its desire to have the Survey undertaken on a nation-wide basis and offered to provide the financial resources necessary for such a project. The Government Statistician undertook to furnish a random stratified sample of just over 3,000 farmers throughout New Zealand excluding those farming less than 20 hectares.