The NFU is encouraging farmers and growers to take part in a Defra survey aiming to identify seasonal labour requirements in the Horticultural Industry.
The survey will ask selected farmers and growers to provide information on their required temporary labour over the preceding quarter, and of the actual use of temporary labour in their farm business over that period.
The new survey will improve official data relating to the current use of seasonal labour. It will complement existing work by Defra with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on a two year programme to improve official data relating to agriculture and migration patterns, including temporary working.
The survey will not be sent to all farmers and growers. Instead, a representative sample of farm businesses will be randomly selected to take part in the survey. Selected businesses will receive an email in the first few weeks of May to participate in the online survey.
The NFU strongly recommends that the farm businesses selected to participate in the survey provide full responses to help the Government monitor the sector with improved evidence.