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Farming Today: 28/09/21 - Visas for poultry workers, vet retention, vet shortage

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28/09/21 - Visas for poultry workers, vet retention, vet shortage

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 28/09/21 - Visas for poultry workers, vet retention, vet shortage

Short-term visas for poultry workers in the run-up to Christmas - but will people come?

The Government has announced 5,500 new short term visas for people to come to the UK and work in the poultry industry in the run up to Christmas.

The farming and food industries are facing an unprecedented lack of workers which is putting pressure on the whole food chain - from growing, to harvesting, to distribution. After months of mounting pressure, the Government has agreed to allow 5,500 workers in from abroad, on three-month contracts, to work in the poultry sector in the run up to Christmas. There will also be visas for 5,000 HGV drivers. So how much difference will it make and will people want to take up the visas? Anna Hill hears from Traditional Norfolk Poultry, which produces 100s of thousands of free range and organic turkeys for Christmas on farms across East Anglia.

We hear what farm veterinary practices are doing to try and improve the retention of people in the profession.

And the British Veterinary Association has long been warning of a shortage of vets - so has the including of vets on the "shortage occupation list" helped?

Presented by Anna Hill
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

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28/09/21 - Visas for poultry workers, vet retention, vet shortage

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