A whopping 82%, who had a vacancy, reported that very few or no applicants for the role had the right skills, a figure that has not dropped below 80% in the last seven years.
The survey of 440 farmers also found that half of them (50.5%) said it is harder to keep staff now compared to before Brexit and Covid.
While almost 65% of farmers said better education and training would be the most effective measure to attract more people into the industry.
The research forms part of Arla’s seventh annual survey of farmers and builds on recommendations from its recent White Paper, developed in partnership with Harper Adams University.
The data showed a skills gap that it believes remains “significant” with a solution needed to attract, train and inspire the next generation to pursue careers across food and farming.
The research also highlighted the challenges of attracting younger people into the sector as 48% of farmers are over the age of 55 and the average age of workers in the supply chain is 46, up from 40 in 2018.
“Securing the future of British food starts with securing people. Behind every litre of milk and every meal on the table is a skilled workforce producing, processing and transporting food,” said Bas Padberg, Managing Director of Arla Foods UK.
He said that young people need to be inspired to work in the sector.
“If we want a resilient food system capable of feeding future generations, we must invest in the skills, education and pathways that will build the workforce of tomorrow,” he added.
Tim Dale, Arla farmer, said that modern farming is “innovative” and involves multiple skills such as business, science and technology.
“We need to do more to showcase the exciting opportunities available and create clearer pathways into the sector,” he said.
“Investing in the next generation isn’t just important for our farms, it’s essential for the future of British food production.”
Arla said it is expanding its own efforts to engage young people, raise awareness of modern food and farming careers, and support greater understanding of the skills needed for the future food system.
It is launching a new outreach programme to young people across the country to help address some of the key barriers across food and farming to the workforce and skills crisis.
