She writes:
The last few weeks certainly feel like they have been a flurry of activity, both with the political twists and turns taking place in Westminster, and at home where our apple and hop harvests almost over and our cider apple harvest in full swing. There has also been a huge amount of work trying to bring these two worlds together, as we continue to press the point about access to labour and the importance of supporting UK food production with government.
On labour we continue to communicate weekly with both Defra and the Home Office, ensuring they are aware of the latest situation at the highest levels. I am hearing increasingly concerning reports about crops going to waste due to labour shortages, and the shortfall figures continue to rise as more workers opt to return to their home countries ahead of the 31st of October, uncertain about their future beyond this date.
Earlier this month I joined ITV on a soft fruit farm to report on just how the labour situation was impacting them, with 87,000 punnets of raspberries going unpicked in just two weeks. Such shortages not only represent a very real financial hit, but threaten the future of horticultural production in this country. This situation simply cannot continue, and if the government doesn’t make the all important decision to expand the seasonal workers pilot immediately I am seriously concerned we will see horticultural businesses, from fruit, vegetables and ornamentals, closing or moving production overseas.
The NFU is also working on a response to both the Immigration White Paper and the Migration Advisory Committee’s Call for Evidence into salary thresholds and the proposed points based immigration system. I would encourage everyone to respond to this consultation, ensuring our voice is loudly and clearly heard. Find out more here.
The labour situation is intimately linked with the future of horticultural production in the UK. It was therefore very uplifting to hear about the huge potential for our sector at FPJLive. As more consumers take an interest in preparing delicious, healthy food there are so many opportunities for British horticulture to support this growing demand, both home and abroad. This is not merely a question of feeding the population, but one of national health: we produce the raw ingredients to support a healthy, balanced diet to support the health of our population – just ask Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson who achieved incredible weight loss by swapping out sugary snacks with fresh fruit and vegetables like broccoli!
The opportunities are certainly there for our sector, but we cannot grow without the right policies and the certainty to invest in our future. We need a trade policy that allows us to produce on a level playing field, not one that allows fresh produce imports at 0% tariffs; we need an agricultural policy which allows growers to come together in producer organisations and expand their businesses in a collaborative way; and of course we need an immigration policy which recognises the vital importance of overseas labour to our businesses, both seasonally and on a permanent basis. The industry is ready to grow – is government ready to let us?