What’s happening?
Zoetis is marking its tenth year of continuous support for mental health in rural and regional Australia, reaching a $1 million donation milestone to Beyond Blue since the partnership began in 2016. This includes a new $100,000 contribution that will help provide vital mental health services for people living outside the nation’s major cities.
Each year, Zoetis donates $5 from every sale of its livestock, pig, poultry and companion animal vaccines and parasiticide products, up to $100,000. This ongoing effort has enabled the partnership to achieve this significant milestone in its tenth year.
Fred Schwenke, Zoetis Business Unit Director – Livestock, said the achievement reflects the company’s long-term commitment to addressing mental health challenges in regional areas. “Zoetis works closely with rural Australia through interactions with the country’s farming community, agricultural stores, veterinarians and their families. We are proud to once again be supporting Beyond Blue and the important work they do,” he said.
Mr Schwenke added that the partnership is about more than financial support. “It’s about making sure that no one in rural Australia feels alone in their struggle with mental health, and that help is readily available. We want to encourage early intervention and remind people that reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness. This donation will help ensure that those living in regional areas have access to support when they need it most,” he said.
Why it matters
Zoetis’ ten-year partnership with Beyond Blue highlights a strong and lasting commitment to improving wellbeing in farming and regional communities. “Improving mental health outcomes requires more than just awareness. It needs consistent, meaningful action and unwavering support. That’s why, ten years on, Zoetis remains firmly committed to its partnership with Beyond Blue. Supporting rural Australia on its long journey to better mental health is not a quick fix—it’s a sustained and compassionate effort,” Mr Schwenke said.
Almost half of Australian farmers report experiencing feelings of depression, while 64 per cent say they have dealt with anxiety. Forty-five per cent say they have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and nearly a third have attempted self-harm or suicide. One farmer dies by suicide every ten days, a rate twice as high as that of the general population.
More than half of farmers say they stay silent about their mental health because they feel uncomfortable or fear they will burden others.
Local impact
The Zoetis and Beyond Blue partnership has provided crucial support to rural and regional Australians facing mental health challenges. Their ongoing collaboration ensures that people in these communities have access to timely and compassionate mental health support through Beyond Blue’s 24/7 service.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact the Beyond Blue Support Service for free and confidential counselling, advice and referrals via 1300 22 46 36 or chat online at beyondblue.org.au.
By the numbers
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Since 2016, Zoetis has donated $1 million to Beyond Blue, marking a decade of continuous support for mental health in rural and regional Australia.
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Each year, the company donates $5 from every sale of its livestock, pig, poultry, and companion animal products, contributing up to $100,000 annually toward the partnership.
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Over the past ten years, this collaboration has supported more than 17,000 people across rural and regional communities through Beyond Blue’s 24/7 Support Service.
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After contacting Beyond Blue, 75% of people reported feeling less distressed, showing the positive impact of accessible and compassionate counselling.
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Meanwhile, 82% of callers said they felt heard and understood, reinforcing the importance of continued mental health support for people living outside major cities.
Zoom in
Beyond Blue’s Australia’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Check shows that nearly half of those seeking professional help were in high distress before reaching out. Barriers to seeking support included long waitlists, affordability, shame and stigma, and believing their problem was not serious enough.
After contacting Beyond Blue, 75 per cent of people felt less distressed and 82 per cent felt heard and understood. Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman AO said every contact was changing and saving lives. “When someone in a remote community picks up the phone or jumps online to talk to Beyond Blue, it’s often their first step towards feeling better,” she said. “Zoetis’ decade-long commitment helps make that possible, funding real conversations that save lives and change outcomes.”
Zoom out
Corowa farmer and Beyond Blue spokesperson Derek Schoen said the pressure on farmers remains immense. “Life on the land can be incredibly rewarding, but also deeply demanding. While mental health conditions occur at similar rates across the country, people in rural and regional areas face unique pressures such as droughts, floods, isolation, financial stress, long work hours, and limited access to healthcare and mental health support,” he said.
“The emotional toll can be immense, with farmers often putting the wellbeing of their families, livestock, and communities ahead of their own. Whether it’s watching your crops go under in a flood or facing another dry season, the emotional toll is enormous. That’s why partnerships like this matter, they remind us that support is there, and that asking for help is a sign of strength.”
The collaboration between Zoetis and Beyond Blue has supported more than 17,000 people in rural and regional areas, providing free, confidential counselling and mental health advice through Beyond Blue’s 24/7 Support Service.
The milestone was celebrated by Beyond Blue Chair Linda Dessau AC CVO, Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman AO, and Zoetis representatives Fred Schwenke, Lauren Rowston, and Mark Willis.
“Ten years on, our purpose remains the same,” said Mr Schwenke. “To help make mental health support accessible to every person in rural Australia, no matter where they live.”
What to look for next
Zoetis has reaffirmed its long-term partnership with Beyond Blue, continuing its yearly $100,000 donation commitment to fund accessible mental health services in rural Australia. As the partnership enters its second decade, both organisations aim to reach even more people across regional Queensland—helping ensure that no one, no matter where they live, faces mental health challenges alone.
