Business secretary Greg Clark seeks to calm farmer's fears over migrant labour drain

Mr Clark said migrant labour was a 'crucial component' to British agriculture
Mr Clark said migrant labour was a 'crucial component' to British agriculture

Business Secretary Greg Clark has tried to allay farmers' fears about a lack of available labour in the wake of the decision to leave the European Union.

Many people in the farming and food sectors have been reporting growing difficulties in securing the workers they need since the 2016 referendum.

The industry has over many years become heavily reliant on migrant workers for both permanent and seasonal labour.

Some of those workers have been returning to their own countries since the referendum vote and it has become increasingly difficult to persuade others to move to the United Kingdom whilst uncertainty remains about the nature of the relationship between the UK and EU after the country leaves the union.

The continued availability of migrant labour has been one of the key concerns raised by the National Farmers Union (NFU) in lobbying the Government over any future trade relationship with the EU, and the issue repeatedly raised its head during debates at this year's annual NFU conference in Birmingham.

During his address to conference, retiring NFU chairman Meurig Raymond again emphasised that the food and farming industries needed ongoing access to an adequate supply of both seasonal and permanent labour.

"Britain's farms need access to the EU market, we need access to a reliable workforce and we need measures to help our food and farming industry be more productive," he said.

Migrant labour a 'crucial component'

Mr Clark, who as Business Secretary is responsible for developing the Government's industrial strategy, spoke at the conference and he addressed the issue of labour. "I hear loud and clear the challenges you are experiencing in your workforce currently."

The Secretary of State, who is an MP for agricultural Kent, said, "Agriculture will always rely on seasonal workers whether from home or abroad. Two thirds of your workers are born outside of the UK, come from the EU. It is an absolutely crucial component.

"I know that Michael Gove touched on it yesterday. As we move to a new relationship with the EU, I regard it as essential, as I know Michael does, that you get the workers that you need.

A secure supply of skilled seasonal labour is one of the eight priority areas for our food and drink council that's been created as part of the industrial strategy. That clear focus and commitment to make sure that you have what you need to be able to do the important job you provide."

Labour's farming spokesman, David Drew, committed his party to restoring a Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme during his speech at the conference - a commitment that was welcomed by NFU leaders. He said a lack of labour would lead to serious consequences for farming.

However, whilst Michael Gove, Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said he understood the industry's concerns, he has so far stopped short of making a similar commitment.

"I understand that you need to see action quickly, not least to deal with imminent pressures in the year ahead," he told conference delegates.

"The NFU has put forward strong and, to my mind, compelling arguments for a Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme. I understand the impatience of people in this room for an announcement. I fully acknowledge your concerns and we will be saying more shortly."

He said, "We need to look beyond the need simply for seasonal labour, and that’s why I’ve been talking to the Government’s Migration Advisory Committee to ensure that, when they review the shape of immigration policy after we’re free of EU constraints, that the need for continued access to skilled labour for people in farming is at the heart of their thinking. We need that if we’re going to keep our farming sector productive and profitable," said the Defra Secretary.

'Exciting times' for farming

The food and farming industry is the largest manufacturing industry in the country and, as such, Greg Clark has included farming in his industrial strategy.

But he was pressed during questioning at the NFU conference about ensuring that farming had sufficient skilled workers after the UK left the European Union. The Secretary of State said that new technologies would play a key role in filling the future needs of farming.

"If you step back from the controversies of Brexit, this is one of the most exciting times in the history of food and farming in terms of the technologies, the break-throughs that are available, not just in new scientific discoveries but the potential to bring technologies that have been in engineering and manufacturing settings more broadly into farming and food production," he said.

"There is in every country of the world a palpable excitement about what is possible but to do that we need to have the right skills."

He said there would be a need to ensure that people were trained with the skills needed with the introduction of such new technology.

"I don't think we have been deliberate enough in connecting the education needs that are required for the new technologies with what we have in the workforce."

He said, "It is one of the major pillars of the industrial strategy how we can upgrade our training and skills system. " He said there was a determination to see and regard farming as a foundational industrial sector.