#Migrant farm workers may stay after #Brexit but red tape goes

The UK Environment Secretary says she is "absolutely committed" to ensuring that British farmers have access to migrant workers after Brexit. Andrea Leadsom said that the government will ensure that the food and farming sectors have the labour that they need. Leadsom also said that leaving the EU will allow the government to slash "ridiculous" farming red tape.

But critics are worried that these plans will damage key wildlife protections.

Around 60,000 seasonal workers come to the UK each summer, mainly from eastern Europe.

Many crop growers depend on these labourers to plant, pick and pack a variety of fruit and vegetables. Leadsom acknowledged that this was a key issue and was worrying farmers across the UK.

"I've heard this loud and clear around the country, whether in Herefordshire, Sussex, or Northamptonshire, and I want to pay tribute to the many workers from Europe who contribute so much to our farming industry and rural communities," she told the Oxford Farming Conference.

"Access to labour is very much an important part of our current discussions - and we're committed to working with you to make sure you have the right people with the right skills."

Leadsom said she has spoken "very directly" to the Home Office about the issue and while giving few details said there would be "announcements in due course".

Leadsom also said that dealing with red tape and farm inspections was costing British farmers around 300,000 hours and £5m a year.

Leaving the EU would give Britain the chance to define its own rules and get rid of some of the bureaucracy that farmers find frustrating.

Among the targets would be the so-called three crop rule. This requires around 40,000 UK farmers to grow three different crops on their land each year to qualify for their subsidies.

Supporters say that the imposition boosts conservation and helps fight climate change. Many farmers believe it is unfair as it limits their ability to grow more of the most profitable crop in any given year.

Leadsom also took aim at other elements of the current regulations that many farmers find irksome.

"No more six foot EU billboards littering the landscape," she said. "No more existential debates to determine what counts as a bush, a hedge, or a tree. And no more ridiculous, bureaucratic, three-crop rule."

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