Reliable seasonal work permit needed so migrants can pick UK's crops post-Brexit, MEP says

A reliable scheme to allow seasonal agricultural workers to harvest British produce must be a priority post-Brexit, an agricultural conference heard.

The warning came from Anthea Mcintyre, Conservative MEP for the West Midlands, who spoke at a conference in Worcester on the future of farming in post-Brexit Britain.

Miss McIntyre said horticulture was a key contributor to the UK economy, contributing 18% of the country's agriculture income from 3% of the land.

But labour was a key challenge, she said, especially the seasonal labour needed at harvest time.

The availability of seasonal labour from the EU was a concern following the referendum vote, and one which had to be addressed.

'Record levels of unemployment'

She said: "We have more than 80,000 seasonal workers in the UK which we need to get our crops picked. We can't let ourselves be told that we can have British labour doing the work. With record levels of employment we don't have the people. Our growers have tried that and it won't work.

Calling for an updated version of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, she said: "We valued the scheme. People came here, did the work required and they went home again. They did not contribute to immigration figures. It worked, and we should look to introduce something similar after Brexit as soon as possible."

The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme operated from 1948 until the end of 2013 and allowed migrant farm workers to enter Britain for a maximum six months.

The conference, organised by the National Farmers Union and Miss McIntyre's fellow West Midlands MEP Daniel Dalton, attracted 150 farmers and agriculture specialists to the Sixways Stadium, Worcester.