Industry leaders have committed to spearheading new measures in order to attract talent into the farming sector against the backdrop of significant labour shortages.
More than 20 leaders from agriculture and horticulture pledged on Tuesday (4 October) to spearhead new collaborative, industry-wide action to attract more people into farming.
The effort was initiated by the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) to "encourage a co-ordinated approach to increasing interest in careers in the sector".
This would allow the sector to compete better in increasingly challenging labour markets, the body said.
Representatives of groups such as the AHDB, the NFU, Defra, Country Land and Business Association (CLA) were at the meeting.
The need for action was stimulated by recent research which highlighted low awareness and dated perceptions of the farming and growing sector in homes, in schools and among career switchers.
Lord Curry of Kirkharle, who chaired roundtable, said that sector needed a diverse range of people in order for it to survive into the future.
"While the industry must make sure that its existing workforce is suitably skilled, it is equally essential that we take the steps needed to attract and welcome new talent.
“The evidence makes it is clear that a long-term, industry-wide effort is needed if we are to achieve this," Lord Curry said.
TIAH chair, David Fursdon added: “We will be working together as a group to bring in more support from right across the agriculture and horticulture industry to develop and deliver a plan for action.”
What was set out at the meeting?
At the meeting, a framework for action was shared, comprising five pillars:
• Coordination: Developing an industry wide coordinated approach to careers
• Collaboration: Promoting ways in to farming and growing careers
• Change: Improving the perception of the sectors, and promote the opportunities within them to a wider audience
• Capacity: Updating learning resources – link to curriculum and increase in-person contact
• Communication: Simplifying the careers messaging to careers seekers and influencers to improve overall impact
