Britain's agricultural workforce has always been on the frontline of change. As an industrialising country Britain went through the world’s first technology-driven economic transition, and in the present day a further wave of innovation in agri-tech looks poised to decimate the workforce once again.
This briefing paper, authored by Stephen Devlin of the New Economics Foundation, reviews the current trends in the UK agricultural sector, as well as the pressures and challenges it faces now and in the future. With a widely perceived public image problem, a labour force dominated by men over 55 years of age, and a notorious dependence on migrant and casual labour, attracting talented and passionate people to the sector could be a challenge.
However, on both environmental and public health grounds the required interventions – from reducing meat consumption to more environmentally sensitive production methods – will tend to require more labour input compared to the baseline trend.
Read more about Sustain's work for a greener, fairer food supply here.
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.
