On Feirm Ground 2 (OFG2), the award-winning training programme supporting farmer health and wellbeing, is expanding its reach this Autumn/Winter, with new workshops now open for registration across the country. OFG2 recently won the AONTAS Shooting Star Award 2026, recognising its impact on farming communities nationwide.
What is On Feirm Ground 2?
Farmers in Ireland face a disproportionate burden of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health difficulties, yet are often described as a “hard to reach” group. OFG2 was developed to close that gap, not by training farmers directly, but by equipping the professionals who already work alongside them. The programme trains agricultural professionals and service providers, such as advisors, vets, vet nurses, and co-op staff, to confidently recognise distress and signpost farmers to the right support.
- Jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Health, and the HSE
- Coordinated by the Men’s Development Network under Engage, Ireland’s National Men’s Health Training Programme
- Fully funded courses
- Hybrid format: 2 hours of self-paced e-learning followed by a 6-hour in-person workshop
- Built on the EARS (Engage, Acknowledge, Reassure, Signpost) framework, developed from research and focus groups with agricultural professionals
- Accredited by Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI), awarding 8 CVE (Continuing Veterinary Education) credits
Why it matters
With a long dry spell this summer, farmers have drawn on winter fodder reserves earlier than usual, adding pressure heading into the coming months. That stress doesn’t stay on the farm. It ripples out to the vets, advisors, and inspectors who deal with farmers regularly, and into the wider community.
OFG2 doesn’t ask participants to take on more work. It provides them with skills to recognise the signs of distress, respond appropriately, and signpost to the right services, whether that support need is financial, mental, or physical.
The impact so far
- Over 1,600 people trained across Ireland since the programme began
- Workshops delivered nationwide, including a recent session with Cork County Council inspectors
- OFG2 builds on the original On Feirm Ground programme (2021-2022), which was shown to significantly increase participants’ knowledge of mental health and their willingness to signpost to supports and services.
Autumn/Winter training schedule
New dates are now live, including:
To register and view the full schedule, visit www.engagetraining.ie.
Findings from the OFG2 evaluation report are due to be launched this Autumn. Follow us on social media @mensnetworkie to access the report when it is launched.
To register or find out more, visit www.engagetraining.ie or contact [email protected]
See OFG2 in action: watch our video made in partnership with Movember for Men’s Health Week 2026.