Business Rural Spring 2021

| 87 Back from the brink of defeat Southland dairy farmer Jason Herrick is a strong advocate for mental health in the rural sector. Richard Loader S outhland dairy farmer Jason Herrick had a mental breakdown in 2018. He never saw it coming. It had built up over a number of years and could easily have ended in tragedy. Living in Canterbury in 2010, Jason’s mental health issues started with the Christchurch earth- quakes. Working for the wrong people contributed as did weather related issues, but the main catalyst was public perception around the career that has been his heart and soul since he was sixteen years of age — farming. “When you go through a wet season and see nothing but crap and slop and all the shit that’s going on and all you’re thinking about is how other people are perceiving it, that really plays on you,” says Jason. “I was always mentally strong and didn’t realise that I was boxing everything up. It took me a long time to learn how to deal with that. That’s why I’ve taken a good strong stance on the mental health side of things. I actually understand the head-space people go into when they’re dealing with those issues.” Jason’s passion is around advocacy for mental health in the rural sector — sticking up for the small guy who struggles to voice their own opinion; it’s that outreach of a supportive and helping hand, and perhaps that helps Jason too. Jason’s helping hand means travelling the depth and breadth of New Zealand giving talks and semi- nars on mental health, and working alongside his peers in the Southland Federated Farmers trying to address those regional issues of concern. “Environmental pressures as well as Govern- ment regulation and legislation are some of the key issues impacting on mental health but public per- ception of farming is number one. We’re a society focused on the environment and climate change. As farmers we just have to go with it and do the best we can.” When things are going south, Jason reckons one of the key coping tools is talking to the right people about the journey. “It’s finding the people who actually know what they’re talking about and have experience in that space, and surrounding yourself with your closest friends. When you go through a situation like that you really understand who those people are.” Jason says when he was going through the stages of his breakdown, his wife knew something was going to happen but she didn’t know who to reach out to until after the fact. DAIRY PEOPLE » Jason & Sandy Herrick “That’s why I’m advocating for people to recognise those signs in their friends and step up, otherwise, nine times out of ten, it might be too late. It’s hard to pick up on the signs sometimes and the genuine people who recognise those signs are often the ones who only see you now and again and can see a personality shift.” Inspired by the good work done by Bernadette Hunt for Southland Federated Farmers, Jason joined Feds, feeling getting alongside those at the core would be beneficial for what he was trying to achieve with mental health advocacy. “I joined six months out from the elections and then stepped up to the Share Milker’s Chair and now I’m Federated Farmers Junior Vice President as well. There’s a lot going on in the agricultural space right now with rules, regulations and legislation, so it was important to us that the load was spread and not one person was doing it all. As an Executive it was important we had a succession plan and getting younger and more vibrant forward thinking people involved was key to that. We now have a really strong and supportive Executive.” With aspirations of leadership, Jason’s deter- mination to make a difference bodes well for the farming community. I’m advocating for people to recognise those signs in their friends and step up, otherwise, nine times out of ten, it might be too late. KEYSE CONTRACTING Agricultural Cultivation Phone: 03 2486465 Mobile: 027 2051988 Proud to support Jason & Sandy Herrick chartered accountants | rural specialists 16 Wear Street, Oamaru | 0800 007 377 | www.mckenzieca.co.nz Your electrical and refrigeration specialists in Southland and South Otago • Farm vat refrigeration and pre cooling • Heatpumps • Dairy services • All electrical maintenance and installation Hayden Baxter 027 765 8427 or Hamish Heaslip 027 215 0362 contact@handh.co.nz