A Gloucestershire farmer says he plans to stop growing labor-intensive crops as there is too much uncertainty over whether he can find seasonal workers in the future. Martin Haines, who runs WR Haines, needs 80 people to pick his crops. However, he is unsure if he will be able to hire them beyond 2024, when the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme ends. It means UK farmers like him could stop growing produce that needs to be hand-picked, such as peas and beans.
A senior National Farmers' Union (NFU) representative commented that the sector needed more clarity from the government.
Source: bbc.com