Mel Stride MP was at Crediton Dairy today to discuss the impact of Brexit on the farming industry, particularly access to EU labour that the dairy and other food processing businesses rely on. As the Government is still negotiating the UK’s withdrawal from the EU it is yet to announce what its post-Brexit immigration policy will be but has insisted that it will work closely with the agriculture industry to ensure the right people with the right skills remain able to come to the UK. This was Mr Stride’s second visit to the dairy, having met the new owners in December 2013, and today he met with Managing Director Tim Smiddy and Head of Milk Supply and Procurement Phil Cork.
Mr Smiddy explained:
“At Crediton Dairy we employ a number of highly skilled workers from the EU. They perform a number of important roles within the business and are extremely valued members of our team. A number of our supplying farms also employ skilled workers from the EU. In order for the westcountry dairy industry to thrive and prosper, it is important that businesses continue to have access to skilled EU workers after Brexit.”
Mel added:
“The Government fully appreciates that highly skilled workers play a vital role in the farming industry. Leaving the EU and establishing controlled migration does not mean ending all immigration; it means that we will be able to identify which skills we need and which industries need suitable arrangements to be put in place.”
Crediton Dairy has 130 members of staff and has products in more than 13,500 UK stores.
