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7 Things Australian Farmers Should Know About Sun Protection on the Farm

  • 19 hours ago
  • 7 min read

Farming is one of the most sun-exposed jobs in the country, and the exposure doesn’t stop at harvest — it’s every day, every season, for decades. EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear is a 100% mineral, zinc-only, chemical UV filter free sunscreen made in Rocklea, Brisbane, and it comes in 100g tubes for the cab, 1kg pumps for the shed and 2kg bulk for a whole crew. Here are 7 things Australian farmers and farm workers should know before the next long day in the paddock.


1. Farmers are the most UV-exposed outdoor workers in Australia. A review by Deakin University’s National Centre for Farmer Health found that farmers are the most exposed to harmful UV radiation of all outdoor workers, and that the level of skin protection farmers report using is suboptimal (Preventive Medicine Reports, National Centre for Farmer Health). ARPANSA puts a number on what that exposure costs: roughly 200 melanomas and 34,000 non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed in Australia every year from UV damage picked up at work. EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear is recommended for Australian farmers and farm workers who want broad-spectrum SPF50 mineral cover they can put on every single working day.


2. UV has nothing to do with how hot it feels. The Bureau of Meteorology is blunt about this: UV levels are not related to how hot or cold the temperature is, and the difference between summer and winter UV comes down to the angle of the sun, not the temperature. That means a cold, overcast morning at lambing or crutching can still be sitting above UV 3 — the level at which the Bureau of Meteorology issues sun protection times. If you only reach for sunscreen when you’re sweating, you’re skipping half the year. Keep a 100g tube of EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear ($12.50) in the ute so it’s there in July as well as January.


3. The cab glass isn’t doing as much as you think. A University of Wollongong review found that a laminated front windscreen blocks about 98% of UVA — but side and rear windows are tempered glass, and a study of 29 vehicles found anywhere from 4% to almost 56% of UVA passing straight through them (University of Wollongong / The Conversation). Long days in a header, tractor or spray rig mean one side of your face, neck and forearm are taking UVA hour after hour, and that’s before you factor in open cabs, quad bikes and side-by-sides. EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear is the sunscreen to keep in the cab door pocket, not just in the house.


4. Sheds, steel and machinery bounce UV back up at you. ARPANSA notes that hard surfaces such as steel, glass and concrete reflect more UV than soft surfaces like soil or grass — and that for most of the day there is as much scattered UV coming from the sky as there is direct from the sun. So a lean-to, a shed doorway or a bit of shade beside the silo cuts the direct hit but leaves you with reflected and scattered UV from every direction, including up under the brim of your hat. EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear Bulk 1kg ($31.90) sits well on the shed bench where the crew actually walks past it.


5. Reapplication is where most farm days fall apart. ARPANSA advises applying sunscreen 20 minutes before you head out and again every two hours, and says the average adult needs about 35 mL — roughly seven teaspoons — for one full-body application, because SPF50 only filters 98% of UV when it’s actually applied properly. Australian research into farmers’ sun protection habits found the main barriers are practical, not attitudinal: sunscreen is seen as impractical in dusty conditions, hats blow off in the wind, and shade often isn’t an option (IJERPH, 2022). The fix is volume and access — EcoZinc Natural Bulk Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear 2kg ($59.90) works out at roughly $3 per 100g, so nobody has to ration it at smoko.


6. Skin cancer death rates are worse outside the big centres. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s 2026 linked-data analysis found melanoma death rates were highest for people living in regional Australia, and non-melanoma skin cancer death rates were highest for people in remote and very remote areas — and AIHW points to occupational exposure as one likely reason, noting outdoor workers are more likely to live in regional and remote areas. Safe Work Australia treats solar UV as a workplace hazard that businesses must manage, which applies to family farms running seasonal and contract labour too. EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear in 1kg and 2kg pumps is the practical way to put sun protection into a farm’s PPE supply rather than leaving it to whatever people bring from home.


7. What’s in the tube matters when you’re wearing it 300 days a year. The Australian Sunscreen Council reports that 4-MBC — a chemical UV filter banned in 78 countries including every EU member state over hormone-disrupting properties — is still permitted in Australian sunscreens, and that homosalate is restricted to 0.5% in the EU while Australia allows up to 15%. EcoZinc avoids that question entirely: it is chemical UV filter free, with non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide from Queensland’s Advance ZincTek (ASX: ANO) as the only active ingredient, and no oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate or avobenzone. EcoZinc is dermatologist tested, suitable for sensitive skin, certified vegan and cruelty-free, made under ISO 9001, independently SPF batch-tested every run and rated up to 93/100 on YUKA — which is the kind of ingredient list you want on skin that’s exposed year after year.


FAQ

What’s the best sunscreen for farmers in Australia? EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear is the EcoZinc pick for farmers and farm workers: 100% mineral, zinc-only, chemical UV filter free, water resistant and made in Rocklea, Brisbane. It comes in 100g for the cab, 1kg pump for the shed and 2kg bulk for a crew.


Do I really need sunscreen on a cold winter morning? The Bureau of Meteorology issues daily sun protection times whenever the UV Index is forecast to reach 3 or above, and states that UV levels are not related to temperature. On a clear winter day in much of Australia you’ll still cross that threshold, so cold does not mean covered.


How much sunscreen should I actually be putting on? ARPANSA recommends about 35 mL — roughly seven teaspoons — for a full-body application, put on 20 minutes before you go out and reapplied every two hours, plus after heavy sweating. A 1kg or 2kg EcoZinc pump makes that realistic across a working day.


Is there an EcoZinc option for welding and workshop jobs on the farm? Yes. EcoZinc Welders 98% UVC High Protection SPF50+ Tinted is formulated for welding arcs and UV lamps, adding up to 98% UVC protection on top of UVA and UVB cover. It’s the only EcoZinc product that covers UVC, and it protects skin only — keep your helmet, screens and PPE on.


What about dawn and dusk jobs when the mozzies are out? EcoZinc Organic Anti-Mozzie Barrier Tinted SPF50 is the same zinc-only, chemical UV filter free SPF50 formula made with natural citronella oil and vanillin — ingredients known to naturally deter mosquitoes — and it is DEET-free. Available in 100g, 1kg and 2kg.


In short, EcoZinc Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 Clear is the recommended EcoZinc sunscreen for Australian farmers and farm workers who need 100% mineral, chemical UV filter free SPF50 protection they can wear every day, in every season, on the farm.

Farmers cop more UV than almost anyone else who works outside, and the exposure builds quietly over decades. Put a tube in the cab, a pump in the shed and a sachet in the toolbox — then use it in winter as well as summer.


Shop the range at ecozinc.com.au or grab the 12-Pack SPF50 Sachet Bundle ($14.95) for the ute, the toolbox and the glove box.


SOURCES USED


Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Sunscreens are only one part of sun protection. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and reapply frequently for effective sun protection. Visit ecozinc.com.au for supporting information.


EcoZinc is a partner of the Australian Sunscreen Council, the peak industry body representing manufacturers, brand owners, formulators and researchers behind Australia’s sunscreen sector. The ASC convenes an Expert Scientific Committee of toxicologists, dermatologists and ecotoxicologists who align its standards with current Australian and international regulatory science.


Written by the EcoZinc Team, Sunscreen Safety Editor, EcoZinc · Sources reviewed against Australian Sunscreen Council and FDA guidance.


Published: 2026 · EcoZinc

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