Failure to consult industry properly on costly proposals.
NFU Scotland is joining industry calls for a halt to proposed changes to rules requiring growers pay recruitment fees and transport costs of seasonal workers that they employ.
New requirements to SMETA (SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audit) workforce audits will require UK farming and growing business to pay for the recruitment and transportation fees of the seasonal workers they employ.
The announcement was made last week, with insufficient industry consultation, and will have a substantial financially damaging impact on farming and growing businesses.
NFU Scotland is investigating further and will work with NFU on the issue. That includes calling for the change to be paused until there is proper industry consultation, alignment on how it will be fairly implemented and the financial cost impacts and risks to farming and growing businesses are fully understood.
Chair of NFU Scotland’s Horticulture Working Group, Iain Brown, who employs seasonal workers on his soft fruit and vegetable farm in Fife said: “A proper industry consultation is urgently required. The welfare of the skilled people who come to Scotland to help produce the country’s food is important. Many horticulture producers have high numbers of workers return to their businesses each year because they are so well valued.
“Paying the recruitment fees of workers could mean that many businesses are no longer commercially viable. Any loss in production will drive food price inflation.
“Due to the poor level of industry consultation, it is unclear how the change in standard will be applied fairly and transparently across the supply chain.
“The financial cost impact and risks to horticultural businesses will be considerable after 3 challenging years. Growers are already struggling with high input costs, extreme weather events and challenges in the supply chain.”
Notes to editor
- SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve ethical and responsible business practices in global supply chains.
- SMETA (SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audit) is the audit methodology created by SEDEX to evaluate a company’s ethical and responsible business practices and manage performance around labour rights, health and safety, the environment and business ethics and forms part of farm assurance for horticultural businesses.
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006