‘Farm to fork’ businesses reveal concerns in Brexit survey

Trade bodies from across the UK’s €119bn food and drink supply chain have published a survey on their ‘farm to fork’ sector’s Brexit priorities from a workforce perspective. The sector currently employs four million people across the UK.

The survey exposes the repercussions that the UK food and drink supply chain faces without reassurances regarding the future of EU workers. There are approximately two million EU nationals living in the UK, 20% of which are employed across the food and drink supply chain.

The findings of the survey reveal almost half (47%) of businesses surveyed said EU nationals were considering leaving the UK due to uncertainty surrounding their future. Over a third (36%) of businesses surveyed said they would become unviable if they had no access to EU workers.

Almost a third (31%) of businesses surveyed had seen EU nationals leave since the EU referendum. 17% of respondents said they would look to relocate overseas if they had no access to EU nationals.

In response to these findings, the survey includes a number of key recommendations to the government, some of which include: legislation to secure the rights of EEA nationals currently in the UK; increasing efficiency through adequate Home Office resourcing; and investment in skills provision for the food and drink supply chain.

Ian Wright CBE, director general, Food & Drink Federation, comments, “Food is a matter of national security, so the results of this report are of central concern to businesses across the ‘farm to fork’ industries.

“It is only a matter of time before the uncertainty reported by businesses results in an irreversible exit of EU workers from these shores. This is a scenario that will hurt the UK culturally and economically.

“Without our dedicated and valued workforce we would be unable to feed the nation. This is why it is imperative that we receive assurances from government about their future, and that of our wider workforce.”