Food manufacturers, retailers and farmers have all been making the case for some form of special permits or protections for non-UK workers, if European free movement is suspended.
Hardly a week goes by now without a letter to the government from some pop-up coalition in the food industry, warning about possible impacts of Brexit and calling for protective measures.
The latest include an Open Letter from 30 food and drink companies and trade organisations, including the Food and Drink Federation (representing manufacturers) and the Britsh Retail Consortium (speaking for grocers). It stresses the importance of workers from other EU countries in the UK's food supply, and says they must be given 'unambiguous assurances' that they will be able to continue to work here after Britain leaves the EU.
The letter elicited a non-committal response from the Home Office, reported here, which repeated the Government's ambition to bring net migration into the UK down to the 'tens of thousands' but also said it would listen to the concerns of the UK's 'world-leading food and farming industry' during the negotiations.
Meanwhile, speaking at a Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum seminar last week, farmers warned of the particular crisis facing the horticulture sector. In fact, it was argued that even without Brexit, the sector would have been facing a labour shortage, and there was a call for a 'global seasonal agricultural workers' scheme' to replace the shortfall from Europe.
Read more here about the Sustain's proposals for a more sustainable post-Brexit food and farming system.
Published Friday 9 December 2016
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
