UK FARMING needs willing farm labour available beyond the two year post-Brexit transition period if food is not going to be left to rot in the new CAP-free fields.

John Procter, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, warned the UK government that, despite the extra 2500 short term visas now available to seasonal agricultural workers from outside the EU, the combined impact of Brexit, the weakening of the pound and buoyancy of other economies in the EU meant that UK farming really needed to open itself up to a wider range of willing workers.

“The supply of many British seasonal favourites such as Brussel’s sprouts and Wimbledon strawberries will be seriously threatened if we fall short in matching workforce visas and recruitment to demand," said Mr Procter.

“Seasonality is a crucial aspect of arable farming and there is an undeniable need for ready access to workers on short-term contracts. On the other hand, livestock farming also has huge year-round demands," he noted. "Farmers have coped with the pressure thanks to migrant workers arriving to top up their workforce – filling vacancies they are simply unable to fill locally. Without sufficient provisions to allow seasonal workers to work in the UK, we may well find many shop shelves empty where we’ve been used to them being full.”

Mr Procter stressed that, as a result of Britain leaving the CAP, the UK should be able to be more innovative with the way it invests in graduates and supports apprenticeships aimed at encouraging new ‘home-grown’ workers into the industry. However, it will take time for agricultural workers to qualify through new training schemes – and even if they do, he asked if they will really be expected to pick pumpkins for Halloween or will they be inclined to aim higher in the food chain?

"A significant proportion of our agricultural workforce comes from outside the UK, so it is imperative to take positive action now to bolster casual labour skills in the long term," he said.