Neurodiversity in farming may be double rate of general public

Farmers Weekly’s Level the Field campaign will focus on neurodiversity in 2025. We begin with the first ever nationwide survey on the topic.

The landmark survey, carried out by Farmers Weekly, found that the number of people with neurodiverse conditions in farming may be more than double the rate than in the general population.

More than one-third of respondents to the research (36%) said they considered themselves to be neurodivergent, with a further one-quarter (25%) unsure.

See also: Dairy farmer’s recruitment study focuses on neurodiversity

It is estimated that the rate of neurodivergence in the general UK population is around 15%.

The people surveyed were most likely to identify with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, though autism also ranked highly.

Women were more likely than men to identify with ADHD (62% versus 32%), while more men said they were dyslexic (57% versus 43%).

Of the respondents who identified with a condition, 45% had a diagnosis and 45% did not. A further 8% were on a waiting list.

For those without a diagnosis, 73% said they displayed traits of a particular condition or conditions, but did not want to involve medical professionals.

One respondent said: “Dyslexia wasn’t heard of when I was at school, and now I’m not sure what help I could get. I’m not bad. Or I could just be thick, as that’s the label I got from school.”

Another explained they were reluctant to take any medication as it would “dull their sparkle” and they “liked thinking differently”.

The prevalence of neurodiversity in farming was further demonstrated by the fact that 31% of respondents said they had a neurodivergent family member with a diagnosis working in agriculture.  

This was most likely to be a child (40%) or wider family member (34%).

A further six in 10 (61%) believe they know someone working in farming with an undiagnosed condition.

Many of the people surveyed suggested they would not be surprised by a high rate of neurodiversity in agriculture, noting that the industry can help people with conditions to progress.

“Both my children are autistic and ADHD,” said one respondent. “The eldest cannot successfully attend mainstream school and farming has allowed him to learn in a way that interests him, keeps him calm and gives him practical skills while waiting for a specialist placement.

“Animals have a well-known calming effect, especially for autism.

“It also gives them a sense of structure and purpose as well as a degree of responsibility, in a setting that can be more laid back and less stressful with various delegated jobs.”

Other respondents noted that people with some neurodivergent conditions are well-suited to agriculture because they prefer to work alone, or feel less anxious working outside in nature.

Lack of awareness

But despite the prevalence of neurodiversity in the farming industry, two-thirds of those surveyed (68%) said they believed awareness of these conditions within rural communities was low.

Just under one-third (32%) also felt the attitude towards neurodiverse people in the sector was negative – though only 5% of respondents said they would not be open to working with those with neurodivergent conditions.

Among this 5%, the reasons given were that neurodiverse people would need more support, might pose a safety risk, or could be less reliable or productive and more costly.

According to the research, there may be some cases where safety could be compromised by someone with a neurodivergent condition.

Of the respondents who consider themselves neurodiverse, 38% said their condition was more likely to make them take risks.

This was particularly the case for those with ADHD, which is known to be linked to risky behaviour.

Just under a quarter (22%) of those with ADHD said they would be much more likely to take a risk on-farm.

One respondent said: “I usually take more personal risks that would hurt me, and me only.

“When I’m in a group, I am over-cautious because I worry about others around me.”

Taking a chance

However, it is important to note that taking risks can also be a great benefit in a business environment, and is a trait associated with entrepreneurialism.

“Without my neurological differences, I would probably never have found a fulfilling career in agriculture,” said a survey respondent.

“I have no farming background, education or connections. I took risks, followed opportunities and my interests as they presented themselves.

“Agriculture is such a broad industry that provides a fundamental sense of purpose and connection. It offers a lot to neurodiverse individuals like myself.”

In the context of farm safety, it is also vital to acknowledge that respondents with some conditions said they were a lot less likely to take risks, including a quarter of those with autism.

Concerns about the cost of making a farm workplace more inclusive, meanwhile, appear to be overestimated.

A full 40% of those surveyed have already made changes to their farming practices or environment in order to accommodate neurodiversity.

While some of these adjustments are significant, such as moving to spring block calving in order to focus separately on gestation and lactation stages, or reducing sheep stocking numbers, others are much smaller in nature.

Easy wins

Many of the changes referred to by respondents were very low-cost and easily implemented, such as wearing noise-cancelling earphones to help with sensory overload when handling livestock.

Others included ensuring there was a “place for everything” so equipment, tools and paperwork were not lost; using an accessibility function to listen to government guidance on policy as opposed to reading it; setting regular reminders on phones and watches for certain tasks; using music to manage emotions and drown out overstimulating noises; and taking regular breaks.

It is also important to recognise that almost all respondents to the survey said their neurodivergence gave them strengths that are helpful in agriculture.

For most, this includes things like problem-solving and creativity, but others noted they were able to visualise things like animal behaviour patterns easily, or described their hyper-focus as a “superpower”.

Being particularly meticulous has also been a benefit for respondents during farm audits.

One said: “I record absolutely every single condition or scratch my sheep get religiously. I also have all my farm equipment and tools labelled and heavily organised.

“By doing this, I got 100% on my QMS [Quality Meat Scotland] assessment two years in a row.”

For others, however, being neurodivergent can lead to difficulties with record keeping or paperwork, compliance with government legislation or accessing grants and payments.

In fact, 84% of the respondents who consider themselves neurodiverse said it negatively affected certain areas of their job.

One said: “I am self-employed as I lost jobs due to my dyslexia. The cost of making adjustments was the main reason, plus the need to check paperwork for errors.

“I will always need help to run my business as I struggle with finances and legislation.”

Many others said they found filling in official documents challenging, and feared the consequences if they made a mistake.

“So much of upland farming is now to do with government legislation and grant funding, which are obtuse, burdensome and confusing,” said one respondent.

“This creates a disadvantage for people with ADHD, and probably some mental health pressure.”

It is well-documented that compliance can – and does – add to mental pressure for all farmers, but for those with neurodivergent conditions it could be even more problematic.

Four in five (82%) of neurodiverse respondents said their condition affected their mental health, and for 22%, it is severely affected.

A huge 91% also believe their neurodiversity has an impact on others in their family, and, for a quarter, this happens often.

“It is worse in farming, because so many of us work alone and have no support,” said one respondent.

“A network needs to be established so we can reach out to others in agriculture for support.”