Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    3. June 2025
    4. 2025 Innovation supplement
    5. May 2025
    6. April 2025
    7. March 2025
    8. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    9. February 2025
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    20. June 2024
    21. 2024 Innovation supplement
    22. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    23. May 2024
    24. April 2024
    25. March 2024
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    31. October 2023
    32. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    33. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJuly 1, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
EU & Politics

Prime Minister asked to act on workers’ visas by “frightened” farmers  

Simon KingBy Simon KingOctober 29, 20212 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Neil Parish MP
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The chair of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs Committee, Neil Parish MP, has asked the Prime Minister to lead urgent action on visas for foreign workers in the farming and food production sector to counter labour shortages.

Mr Parish wrote to the Prime Minister following a meeting of the Committee this week with representatives of the sector. The representatives said a combination of the pandemic and reduced access to European labour had left some “frightened” about their future.

The letter, copied to senior ministers, welcomed steps government had already taken to grant additional visas to HGV drivers, poultry workers and pork butchers. But it said further, immediate action was needed.

This included:

  • Fast tracking of visas already granted. It takes at least six weeks to process these visas, with some workers potentially not arriving until after 20 November – this is too slow, representatives of the sector said;
  • Relaxing English language requirements for these visas. The Committee agrees that a certain language standard was required but said the bar had been set too high;
  • Extending the length of poultry visas. These are currently set to last until December 31, if workers arrive now. But an eight-week visa is not attractive to most applicants. The Committee called for these visas to be extended to the end of February 2022; and
  • Preparing a support package for the sector in case a mass farm animal cull is required because of supply bottlenecks. The Committee heard that 8,000 pigs had already been culled on welfare grounds. The Committee said it hoped no cull would be necessary but called for a financial package and mental health support to cope with the extreme distress a cull would cause farmers and others involved.

The letter signed by Neil Parish MP said longer-term solutions to the labour shortages were also required if domestic growers of fruit, vegetables and ornamental crops such as daffodils were to meet domestic demand.

Mr Parish said it was clear the sector understood the need to use domestic workers and to invest in necessary technology. However, he said such solutions could not be delivered overnight.

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleFood and Drink Federation says Budget does little to address labour shortages
Next Article Copas launches Tom Kerridge branded turkeys
Simon King

With more than 25 years' experience in business-to-business publishing, Simon is editor of LBM titles Pest and OvertheCounter. Big fan of Manchester United.

Read Similar Stories

Business & Politics

AIMS calls for new veterinary agreement with EU

September 20, 20243 Mins Read
Business & Politics

Post-Brexit border checks come into force for EU imports

February 5, 20243 Mins Read
Business & Politics

Italian farmers given €46.7 million in avian flu compensation by EU

January 29, 20241 Min Read
Latest News

Pershore’s finest

July 4, 2025

Tackling red mite

July 4, 2025

Comment: Morrisons painful decision to stock imported chicken

July 4, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.