Food security ‘at risk’ as labour shortages in dairy sector intensify

As part of its appeal, Arla has unveiled a four-point plan to help the government address the labour crisis in the dairy sector, which includes educating careers advisors, funding school visits to farms, and setting out clearer pathways into farming via apprenticeships.

Moreover, a survey of 602 Arla farmers has revealed that more than half of producers (57.7%) are finding it harder to recruit staff compared to 2019, with one in eight farmers saying they could quit altogether because of labour market challenges.

Research conducted by Arla has also shown that young people have a limited understanding of what modern farming involves, and the fact that over half (54.8%) of farmers say that few or no applicants for jobs right now have the right skills demonstrates there’s an acute need to educate, inform and upskill in this area.

Difficulties with finding staff also means farmers have had to spend more on wages. Those who took part in the survey reported having increased pay by almost a quarter on average since 2019 (22%), while the majority (60.3%) warned that this pressure would continue over the next 12 months, with obvious implications for food prices.

Farmers are also under pressure to reduce output or cut the size of their herd due to staffing issues, with one in ten producers considering leaving the industry altogether.

Arla farmers Harry Davies commented: “I’ve seen first-hand the problems that a shortage of staff in our industry is creating and the pressure this puts on our production costs is only going to get worse. We need more people coming into dairy farming with the right skills and education.”

He pointed out a career in dairy farming is very rewarding as farmers are now at the forefront of fighting climate change, and said more support is needed to get the message across and promote farming as a career choice.

Paul Savage, director of agriculture for Arla, said the government and industry must urgently find ways of recruiting more people into the dairy sector if the country is to avoid continued food price inflation and long-term issues with food security.

“A big issue is that the preconceptions people have about dairy farming are very different to the reality.

“Farmers play a key role in providing healthy, nutritious food. They work with innovative new technologies and data, and they’re at the forefront of tackling climate change. We know that all of these are important factors when people are choosing their careers.”

In March, Arla launched a campaign to challenge people to think differently about farmers and their role in addressing climate change. The dairy cooperative is also supporting farmers on its higher standards programme, Arla C.A.R.E, with access to people training to help attract and retain talent.

In addition, Arla has been working with The Institute for Agriculture & Horticulture (TIAH) towards resolving the labour crisis, who have recently uncovered that nearly half (42%) of farmers are unwilling to take on somebody without an agricultural background.

Tess Howe, head of partnerships and membership at TIAH, commented: “To tackle this, we need structures in place not only to attract new entrants, but also to help employers support people as they establish their careers.

“We are pleased to see Arla taking initiative in the dairy sector and look forward to working with them as part of the wider, cross-industry, careers action plan that TIAH is co-ordinating to attract more people into farming and growing careers.”