Unite, the union which speaks on behalf of 154,000 agricultural workers, has written to the National Farmers Union (NFU) president, Peter Kendall, asking him to join forces to urgently address the serious problems the agricultural industry is facing.

Unite wants to work side-by-side with the NFU and other employers in agriculture to get better margins for farmers, arguing that a more profitable industry will fuel higher wages and increased professionalism.

Earlier this month when Unite submitted its annual pay claim on behalf of agricultural workers in England and Wales - calling for a substantial counter-inflationary pay rise and an extra day’s leave linked to Workers’ Memorial Day - the NFU described it as "outrageous".

In the letter to the NFU, Unite national officer Ian Waddell said: “We recognise that farmers are facing an increasingly tough time. However, we will present a fully reasoned case to support our claim given that farm workers are facing huge increases in the costs of living, and to highlight the genuine concerns we have over the rising fatal injury rate in the industry.

“Farm workers want their employers to be profitable, because that is the best guarantee of stable, well-paid and rewarding employment for them. As well as holding back pay rates and career progression, poor margins encourage risk-taking and corner-cutting which can and do cost lives.

“I believe that there is a total imbalance in the power of the major retailers and food manufacturers over the supply chain, including farmers and their farm workers. This translates into an industry with below average pay and above average hours as farmers, their families and their workers struggle to meet ever more stringent contracts from their customers.

“The industry faces a constant squeeze from the supermarkets and major food processors and even when farm gate prices are high, margins are low. This benefits no-one in the industry.

“I urge the NFU to break with tradition and work with us to get a fair deal for farming from the supermarkets and food processing industry. Together we can tackle the retail giants and build a farming industry with fair pay, reasonable hours and a professional career structure.”