446: "I lived a double life" - the battle faced by many LGBTQ+ farmers

<div>Pushing for better diversity and inclusion is important in every industry.<br> <br> A 2018 report from the charity Stonewall found that, due to their sexuality, 18% of the UK’s LGBTQ+ workers had been negatively targeted by colleagues.<br> <br> And the agricultural industry is no different. In fact, it can come with a whole lot of its own specific challenges.<br> <br> Farming can be a lonely, high-pressure business. The UK Office for National Statistics says suicide rates in farmers are among the highest in any occupational group.<br> <br> Every year, 50 gay farmers take their own lives, with the fear of coming out as one of the main reasons.<br> <br> This simply cannot continue.<br> <br> And there are great potential benefits to making our agricultural sector more diverse.<br> <br> So, through the lens of LGBTQ+ farmers, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we explore diversity in agriculture.<br> <br> <strong>Relevant resources:<br> </strong><br> <a href="https://www.samaritans.org/">The Samaritans<br> </a><br> <a href="https://www.gayfarmer.co.uk/">The Gay Farmer Helpline<br> </a><br> <a href="https://agrespect.com/">Agrespect - the rural LGBTQ+ network<br> </a><br> <strong>Guest:<br> Amie Burke, Inclusivity Programme Manager, IGD</strong> </div>