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Alan Roper wins Director of the Year Award
Sales build towards Christmas, last week up 27% on 2019
Former LOFA secretary Phil Gibbs receives prison sentence for fraud
The new revolutionary smokeless fire pit
Trade back to 'normal' after petrol crisis
What a week for plant sales
Dizmezs’ ‘Home of Firewood’ increases production capacity
Poundbury supports memorial garden planting project
From compost bags to Plaswood garden furniture
Dalefoot Composts scoops rural business award
Glee-full time at the NEC - GTN October 2021 Issue available on-line
Notcutts resume redevelopment programme after 2020/21 pause
Small adjustments to Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme would bring huge benefits to UK horticulture businesses says HTA
Intrepid Explorer sets London Marathon record
Generic promotion of flowers boosts sales
‘Helping Your Community Grow’ winners
Johnsons Seeds updates website in support of retailers
Garden Project Manager – Greenfingers Charity
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Hozelock welcomes new Commercial Director
New normal for garden products is up 7%
Haskins promotes long-standing staff member to Operations Director
A quarter more gardening still growing on
Good weather delays Christmas boom
Scholarship applicants encouraged to outline how they'd use cash to further their horticulture careers
The Newt in Somerset to sponsor RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The best of last week's
Smart, Kaemingk and Allensmore are Choice Marketing Suppliers of the Year
Roger Smalley, Smalley House & Garden Plants, has died
Weber opens new European centre in Poland
It’s a sell out for the 40th annual GIMA Awards
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All the latest news from the world of pet products
Plant-based dog food firm unleashes carbon balanced packaging
AQUA 2021 New Product Awards revealed
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Small adjustments to Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme would bring huge benefits to UK horticulture businesses says HTA
 

The Horticultural Trades Association has called for an extension to the Seasonal Workers Pilot Scheme (SWP) to include plant and tree growers to support the industry in the short term, as longer-term solutions to the labour crisis in the sector are developed. 

 

Responding to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s call for evidence, the HTA outlined how a shortage of 1,200 seasonal full-time equivalents is hampering the industry’s ability not only to expand and increase UK production post-Brexit, but to simply produce the trees and plants needed now to support environmental goals. This includes playing a crucial role in tackling climate change and carbon reduction.  

 

James Clark, Director of Policy and Communications at the HTA, said: “Horticulture’s seasonal nature means that growers have always relied upon a significant number of temporary workers at different points in the year. As an industry we are doing everything we can to attract and retain not only local seasonal labour and develop them where appropriate, but also high skilled permanent employees. The industry has recently launched a growth strategy which includes commitments to continue to make horticulture an attractive sector to work in, but these measures will take time. We need a change now of the government’s seasonal workers policy.  

 

“The new immigration system has led to significant shortages of seasonal staff because the SWP only applies to workers picking edible crops. Seasonal workers in the farming sector usually work multiple farms in a season, moving between ornamentals and edibles sites. Likewise, many British growers produce both edible and ornamental crops from the same site. Allowing those workers to work for plant and tree growers under the scheme will make a small change in policy, but a significant difference to the shortages our members are facing.  

 

“Our members, most of whom are small and medium sized businesses, tell us they are short of some 1,200 FTE seasonal staff, with an average shortfall of 14% across the industry of what they have and what they need. This lack of staff impacts their business’ productivity and ability to grow. 

 

“The Government should expand the SWP to include ornamental horticulture or create a new scheme to better reflect the broader nature of the sector’s seasonal labour needs. A modest increase in the number of actual new visas needed (as many of these workers will already be travelling to the country under the SWP to work on edible farms), will alleviate the immediate pressures being faced by the industry. We will continue to work with the Government and education providers on addressing workforce shortages over the medium and long term.”

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