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New champion seeks answers to horticulture's workforce dilemmaRecruitment and retention issues continue to threaten businesses - helping to secure supplies of British fruit and vegetables by attracting the right staff is the task the South East's new Horticultural Workforce Champion has been set. Dr Alan Rae will use £20,000 of funding from the South East England Development Agency to identify the labour challenges facing growers in the region; develop best practice case studies and suggest solutions. He is looking for growers to share their experiences of securing and retaining reliable workers. Alan is uniquely placed to be the Horticultural Workforce Champion. After a doctorate in plant biochemistry, he has spent most of his working life delivering IT and market research solutions for businesses. After growing vegetables on a Shropshire smallholding, he and his wife Isobel moved to a nursery at Fletching in West Sussex. From the site's three acres of glasshouses the couple supply organic vegetables as "Fletching Glasshouses" to local shops and box schemes and mail order ornamentals, citrus and chili plants under the Plants4Presents name. "I aim to bring my experience and knowledge to the labour problem facing horticultural growers of all sizes," says Alan. "There are fewer migrant workers than in the past and motivating local workers is difficult. The problem is set to get worse as the UK seeks to become more self-sufficient in the supply of fruit and vegetables." He believes painful past experiences of failing to attract or retain suitable local workers have affected some growers, while a reluctance to take on what is perceived as difficult, seasonal and poorly paid work has put off potential employees. "Meanwhile, retail demands for consistent supplies increases the pressure to find reliable workers." Alan will be seeking the views of horticulture industry leaders and growers and is particularly after examples of good labour and career development. "I want to gather and present best practice examples so growers can learn from each other how to develop successful practices in their businesses," says Alan. The Farming Champions scheme is operated by the South East's Sustainable Food and Farming Strategy Board. Its chairman is Shaun Leavey. He says this of the appointment of the Horticultural Workforce Champion: "Alan Rae comes at this important project from the perspective of a glasshouse grower and also someone with the necessary professional skills to collate and analyse information from other growers. In my view the region's horticultural sector is vulnerable to fluctuations in the availability and quality of both migrant and local labour. This project seeks to identify management techniques which will minimise those risks." To contact Dr Alan Rae call 0845 094 0407 or email alan.rae@aiconsultants.co.uk. For more on Fletching Glasshouses see www.FletchingGlasshouses.co.uk. |
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