Tory leadership hopeful Liz Truss has pledged to cut red tape for farmers and extend the seasonal workers scheme to provide certainty for farmers that they can continue to use foreign labour.
She said Brexit had given the UK a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to free British farming and said if elected she would review poultry, livestock, dairy, horticulture and animal health regulations, to simplify processes and ensure sector resilience and adaptability.
“I understand the challenges faced by farmers and they can trust me to deliver the changes they need,” said Truss.
“I will cut the red tape that is holding them back and hitting them in their pocket. The pandemic and cost of living crisis have shown it is more vital than ever for us to ensure we have a high-quality and affordable supply of British food.”
The chief executive of the Food & Drink Federation, Karen Betts, welcomed the focus on the food sector.
“I’m delighted to see Liz Truss putting food production at the heart of her leadership campaign today. Food and drink manufacturers of all kinds and their staff across the UK work tirelessly to ensure delicious, affordable and safe food and drink is available to everyone, everywhere, every day.
“But we need to work with the government to tackle soaring inflation, which is straining household budgets and putting businesses in our sector under real pressure. Rethinking and streamlining regulation, along with finding solutions to labour shortages and opportunities to boost productivity, would make a huge difference.”