Farmers Weekly Podcast Episode 72: Labour shortage disrupts food supply chain

In this episode, thousands of pigs could be culled on UK farms due to a shortage of labour in abattoirs and meat processing plants.

The labour shortage is also affecting arable farmers, hauliers and the wider food supply chain – with safety campaigners warning of fatal consequences.

Industry leaders are calling for a 12-month Covid-19 recovery visa to help alleviate the workforce shortages that are causing serious disruption to food supplies.

See also: FW Opinion: Good times won’t last if supply chain can’t hire

As the catchy harvest continues, we check out yields and crop quality with a special report from north-east Fife, Scotland.

We look at what seems to be the constant churn of restructuring in the world of machinery dealerships – and technology buy-outs.

And we visit the farming family who have raised £2m for a nature conservation charity – by growing bird seed.

This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom – with Edd Mowbray from the Farmers Weekly machinery desk.