Make ending crops rotting in fields the key test of policy success, says Luke Pollard

In a heated debate in the House of Commons about problems with the Home Office administration of the seasonal agricultural workers scheme, Plymouth MP and former farming lead for Labour, Luke Pollard, challenged Ministers to make ending crops rotting in fields the key test as to whether the seasonal agricultural workers visa policy is working or not.

Last year, the number of crops rotting in fields thanks to a shortage of workers on farms almost doubled in value. Since Brexit, there has been a shortage of workers picking crops on South West farms. This has hit growers of ornamental crops like daffodils the hardest.

This year, the NFU estimated;that food to the value of as much as £60 million has been wasted on farms due to labour shortages.

The debate was called by former Environment Secretary, George Eustice MP, who raised the alarming decision by Ministers to stop issuing new certificates for seasonal agricultural workers which especially hits farmers in the South West who grow flowers who need workers over the winter and early in the spring.

Luke has now written to the Environment Secretary challenging her to make this a key test for her tenure in office, having recently taken up the post after being sacked as Liz Truss’ Deputy Prime Minister by Rishi Sunak. He further explained: “The Home Office is a failing department. They’ve lost control of our borders but yet they still can’t get enough workers to pick crops. This means farmers are forced to plough crops back into the ground instead of being able to pick them and send them to market.

‘I want the Government to introduce a very simple test: if there’s crops rotting in fields due to a lack of workers they’re failing and if the crops are all picked, the policy can be called a success.

‘Farmers are not interested in bureaucratic excuses from Ministers, they just want to have enough workers to pick the fruit, vegetables and flowers they grow. Minister have had 12 years to get this right and are failing.”