Vegetables
• Overseas workers ‘vital’ for horticulture
• Access to labour is immediate issue
• Certainty needed to increase market share
F
arm leaders have urged the next government to ensure that overseas agricultural workers remain welcome in the UK after the country leaves the European Union. With vegetable growers and the wider horticultural sector heavily reliant on manual labour, seasonal workers from overseas are seen as vital – especially giv- en the challenges faced by many farms when it comes to recruit- ing local staff. “The UK food supply chain will be substantially less competitive if restrictions are placed on labour after Brexit,” said NFU president Meurig Raymond. “For successful farm businesses, continued access to non-UK seasonal and non-sea- sonal workers on-farm is critical. “As well as an urgent need for the government to issue clarity on the rules around EU migrants fol-
“
Continued access to non-UK workers on-farm is critical
Overseas workers are seen as vital to the lettuce harvest in the Fens
Call for clarity on future for seasonal farm workers
lowing the end of free movement, the NFU urges the government to publish the timetable for the Im- migration Bill as soon as possible.”
Shortfall
As the busiest time of year rap- idly approaches, growers are al- ready reporting a shortfall in over- seas workers. Some workers are staying away because weaker ster- ling since last year’s Brexit vote means they will earn less. Others
simply feel less welcome. Should it form the next gov-
ernment, the Labour party has pledged to allow EU workers em- ployed across farming, fishing and food manufacturing to remain in the UK. Its manifesto also pledg- es to reinstate the Seasonal Agri- cultural Workers Scheme. Farm leaders are seeking similar assurances from other parties. The Conservative party says it has “huge ambitions” for
agriculture – including plans to grow more, sell more and export more great British food. But its manifesto says nothing about sea- sonal workers. Jack Ward, chief executive of the British Growers Associa- tion, said navigating the turbu- lence created by Brexit should bring opportunities, as well as challenges. But access to labour was an issue which needed to be addressed.
3Ms group installs new potato grader
Therese Coffey formally opens the new plant accompanied by 3Ms managing director Edward Blanchard and guests
A state-of-the-art potato grader in- stalled by Suffolk-based 3Ms was opened last month by junior De- fra minister and local MP Ther- ese Coffey. With six farms as sharehold- ers operating across more than 13,750ha, 3Ms contracted Haith, Tomra and Dijkstra to put in the potato grading and sorting line at their site on the old USAF airfield
at Bentwaters, near Woodbridge. The building was constructed by PFG Fabrication.
The company received a Ru- ral Development Programme for England grant towards the invest- ment. It is one of the largest pro- jects in the country to be funded by these grants. After reviewing the business plan, HSBC provid- ed the remaining finance.
JUNE 2017 • ANGLIA FARMER 59
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