02 August, 2012
A new report suggests that farmers are
among the happiest people in the UK, guardian.co.uk writes.
Figures released this week by the Office for National Statistics
(ONS) revealed that those who work in the countryside were among
the happiest and most satisfied with their life. As part of a
measure into the nation's happiness, the ONS asked thousands of
people questions about their personal and professional life. They
were then asked to rate how satisfied they were with their
life.
The study showed that those working in 'agriculture, forestry
and fishing' topped the list of industry sectors, while admin,
transport and vehicle repair workers languished at the bottom of
the table.
Speaking to fwi.co.uk, Charles Smith, chief executive of the
Farm Crisis Network emphasised that farming is a very fulfilling
job, one that most people enter into because they love the
all-encompassing lifestyle.
He praised farmers' resilience during 'vagaries of weather' and
other issues: "that's why when times are tough, they continue
farming", he said.
David Camp, a sheep farmer from Devon, was not surprised by the
results, despite recent bad weather. "It's a nice environment. The
pay's not great, and it's hard work, but you do something different
every day.
"At this moment, I'm sitting in my tractor in the beautiful
sunshine looking over the field to the estuary and yes, I'm pretty
happy."
Source: Vertical Leap
