Brexit
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NewsUK retail and wholesale sector hiring more high-skilled workers from Asia since Brexit
Retailers and wholesalers have been hiring more high-skilled workers from South Asian countries such as India, according to Home Office data
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Comment & Opinion
Why the British food sector is facing a labour crisis - and what we can do about it
The current crisis ultimately stems from a lack of understanding about how food production and supply works, says NFU vice president Tom Bradshaw
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News
Labour crisis revealed: Food shortages caused by 500,000 worker deficit
A new report estimates there are over half a million posts that need to be filled across farming, food production and distribution, as well as retail and hospitality
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News
Seasonal workers: Efra committee slams government inertia
The committee said the ‘last-minute approach’ to expanding the scheme had created ‘unnecessary and costly’ uncertainty
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News
Government announces first additional SAWS operator
The seasonal agricultural workers scheme was expanded to 30,000 permits in December
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News
Farm labour crisis looming with Covid rates high in Europe
Thousands of new coronavirus cases have been recorded in key countries for recruitment, such as Bulgaria and Romania, over the past week
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News
Real-terms funding for GLAA declines despite rise in cases
The GLAA’s accounts showed net expenditure grew 6% to £6.6m in the year to 31 March 2020, but Home Office funding only increased 2.3%
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News
Fruit & veg industry ‘nervous’ over seasonal worker uncertainty
Chair of the NFU’s horticulture and potatoes board, Ali Capper, has warned the timeline for SAWS was causing ‘nervousness’
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News
Growers welcome extension to post-Brexit seasonal workers pilot
The pilot scheme allows migrant labour to enter the UK to work for a six-month period
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News
MPs urge government to change course on post-Brexit immigration
The Efra Committee suggested the UK could see food prices go up unless more was done to resolve questions around labour
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News
Extend non-UK labour scheme or face price hikes and shortages, growers warn
Data from industry bodies showed the UK-resident workforce is not big or reliable enough to fulfil growers’ labour needs
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News
Eustice accused of overstating Pick for Britain scheme impact
The environment secretary’s claim a third of workers in produce supply chains were British has been dismissed by industry sources
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News
Expand SAWS or expect growers to close down, NFU Scotland warns MPs
The Scottish industry body has called for ‘urgent clarity’ ahead of the 31 December Brexit deadline
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News
Food sector underprepared for cliff-edge labour crisis, MPs hear
Many businesses were not ready for new immigration rules and would stuggle to plan for their workforce, warned the FDF’s Tim Rycroft
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News
MPs to launch inquiry into post-Brexit immigration proposals’ impact on food
Efra Committee chair Neil Parish warned produce could be ‘left to rot in fields’ if the food sector’s labour requirements weren’t met
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News
Poultry sector faces £15m staff costs under new immigration rules
British Poultry Council CEO Richard Griffiths has warned the new rules ‘will have an impact on the cost of production’
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News
G’s warns of slavery risk amid new immigration laws and GLAA funding cuts
The grower said anti-slavery watchdog the GLAA was struggling to carry out its remit due to a lack of funding
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News
Cheap foreign labour crackdown plan slammed as ‘disastrous’ for food and drink
The government has told businesses they must adapt to employ higher-paid workers from the UK and invest more in automation
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News
Migration report recommendations ‘don’t go far enough’, warns food industry
The Migration Advisory Committee published a report on how a post-Brexit immigration system should work
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Analysis & Features
Is the Conservatives’ promise on SAWS expansion enough?
Boris Johnson might have finally listened to the concerns of British growers, but does his new pledge go far enough?
