Arla Foods survey reveals 82.4% of UK farmers struggle to find skilled workers, risking food system resilience amid aging workforce.
A persistent skills gap in the UK’s dairy sector is jeopardizing food supply resilience, with 82.4% of farmers reporting vacancies attract unqualified applicants. The figure has exceeded 80% for seven consecutive years, according to Arla Foods’ latest survey of 440 British farmers.
Labor pressures are expanding beyond farms, with engineering roles in Arla’s supply chain taking 105 days to fill—nearly double the 58-day average for other positions. Nearly half of surveyed farmers are over 55, and 17.8% are above 65, while 50.5% say staff retention has worsened post-Brexit and Covid.
Farmers cite education reforms as the top solution, with 65% calling for changes in schools and colleges to attract new talent. The sector’s shift from labor availability to capability gaps compounds challenges as demand for skilled workers grows.