The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has set out the dire state of the labour situation on UK dairy farms in its latest submission of evidence to the Migration Advisory Council (MAC) following feedback from a focus group of farmers. 

The cohort of 46 producers said that recruitment had got harder in the last five years (87%), with 59% admitting they had considered getting out of dairying because of the labour shortage. Almost all of the producers (92%) said a lack of labour worried them. 

Industry exodus  

The feedback mirrors worrying figures published by the AHDB, which shows the number of dairy producers in Great Britain fell to 7,500 in April this year, with 380 producers leaving the industry in a year- a fall of 4.8%. Falling milk prices, rising costs and labour pressures are the main driving forces.  

Many of the focus group had already made changes on their farm in response to a labour shortage, with 21% reducing stock numbers and 13% cutting the number of milkings.  

Commenting on the issue, RABDF Chairman Di Wastenage said: "The exodus of dairy farmers is a worrying trend, and sadly, a lack of labour has a big part to play in that.  

"Many farmers are at a crossroads with declining support, and for them to plan and invest for a sustainable future, they must have confidence that both skilled and permanent labour will be available." 

Role of foreign workers  

The focus group highlighted the importance of foreign workers in fulfilling the job gaps in the short term. Almost half employed foreign workers because they couldn't recruit from the domestic workforce. Antisocial working hours and not enough people interested in the industry were the main reasons they gave for not being able to recruit.   

Forty percent also said unsociable working hours were the main reasons for staff leaving.  

The RABDF believes access to foreign labour is something the dairy industry still needs in the short term. In their latest submission to the MAC Shortage Occupation List Review, which closed last week (25 May), the RABDF presented their latest findings.  

Mrs Wastenage added: "We hope the MAC will listen to our concerns and include Dairy Technicians on their Shortage Occupation List (SOL).  

"The government can further support this by reviewing the 'blockers' they have created to employ and retain staff, such as the lack of rural housing for farmers, especially within designated areas such as the AONB and National Parks." 

Solutions  

However, Mrs Wastenage says the industry must lead and create a strategy to help itself. The RABDF has already set the ball in motion by hosting a Labour Roundtable discussion at the House of Lords earlier this month. 

"In the medium to long term, we must look at all the options to ensure a pipeline of employees enters the industry. This includes better education in schools, brand building, skills development, and attracting employees from outside the industry and diverse backgrounds. It also needs dairy farmers to take ownership of the issue on their farms and provide the right environment to value and retain employees." 

Keen to maintain momentum following the Roundtable, the RABDF is now identifying the key players needed in a dairy labour stakeholder group and prioritising areas to work on. 

For more information on dairy labour, visit rabdf.co.uk/labour