Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that 22 workers died on British farms during 2025-26, marking the highest number in a decade. This figure is second only to construction deaths (27) but the rate of farm deaths was seven times higher per 100,000 workers, and 21 times more likely than the all-industry average.
Margaret Owen, whose husband Islwyn died after falling into a slurry pit in 2024, has spoken about the stresses facing farmers. She said Islwyn had worried about bad weather and recently-introduced rules on slurry spreading before his accidental death at his farm in Bala, Gwynedd.
Ms Owen stated that the number of deaths made it appear "things are getting worse and worse". She added that farmers often face significant stress, citing a combination of wet weather and the Welsh government's ban on spreading slurry between mid-October and January.
The deaths of Alan Ford, 72, and his son Rick, 42, in a slurry tank in Chester on 26 August, reportedly brought back memories of her husband's death.