A growing number of farming groups are calling for a halt to proposed changes to rules requiring farmers to pay recruitment fees and transport costs of seasonal workers.
New requirements to SMETA (SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audit) workforce audits will require farmers to pay for the recruitment and transportation fees of the seasonal workers they employ.
SEDEX is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve ethical and responsible business practices in global supply chains.
SMETA is the audit methodology created by SEDEX to evaluate a company’s ethical business practices and manage performance around issues such as labour rights.
The announcement was made last week, with NFU Scotland now joining the NFU's position that there was insufficient consultation with the industry over the proposal.
Both unions have warned that the move would have a substantial financially damaging impact on farming and growing businesses.
They have called for the change to be paused until there is proper industry consultation, alignment on how it will be fairly implemented and the financial cost impacts and risks to businesses to be fully understood.
Chair of NFU Scotland’s Horticulture Working Group, Iain Brown, who employs seasonal workers on his farm in Fife, said a proper industry consultation was urgently required.
“Paying the recruitment fees of workers could mean that many businesses are no longer commercially viable. Any loss in production will drive food price inflation," he said.
“Due to the poor level of industry consultation, it is unclear how the change in standard will be applied fairly and transparently across the supply chain.
“The financial cost impact and risks to horticultural businesses will be considerable after 3 challenging years.
"Growers are already struggling with high input costs, extreme weather events and challenges in the supply chain.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said he was 'shocked' that a decision such as this had been decided without the consultation of farmers.
"Paying the recruitment fees of workers could mean that many businesses are no longer commercially viable and will drive food price inflation," he warned.
"It is unclear how the change in standard will be applied fairly and transparently across the supply chain.
“Time and time again, we have kept up the drumbeat of the need for fairness in the supply chain, but this total lack of assessment and understanding of how farming will be impacted will undermine that work.
“It is vital that the proposed changes are paused until there is a full consultation with all stakeholders and a full assessment on the impacts the proposed audit changes will have to the commercial viability of growers, food inflation and UK food security.”
