Campaign & Policy

British Berry Growers campaigning and policy objectives.

The future British berry industry faces many challenges, including rising costs and high labour turnover, competition from abroad, and a lack of government investment in robust technology to support the long-term success of the sector.

British Berry Growers is committed to working with ministers, government departments, retailers, and other major stakeholders to implement a long-term strategy to provide security for British growers and lasting benefits for markets and the rural economy.

Our Campaign and Policy Board is chaired by Anthea McIntyre CBE. Anthea was a Member of the European Parliament for eight years, serving on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee where she specialised in horticulture and authored several reports.

Priority Areas

The British Berry Growers Campaign and Policy Board is focused on a number of key priorities to support the long-term competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of the UK berry sector.

Seasonal worker visa scheme

Access to seasonal labour remains critical to the future of UK berry production. We are calling for reforms to the Seasonal Worker visa scheme that better reflect the realities of UK horticulture, including:

Extending visas from six to nine months where appropriate to reflect the full UK berry growing season
Introducing a five-year rolling scheme to give growers greater certainty to plan and invest
Providing greater flexibility for growers with a Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence to recruit workers directly

Planning policy

A more robust and consistent national planning framework is needed to support investment in UK horticulture. Current planning processes are often slow, costly and inconsistent across different local authorities.

We are calling for a national framework that supports:

Controlled growing environments, including polytunnels and glasshouses
On-farm water storage and reservoirs
Essential infrastructure such as coolers and packhouses
Appropriate seasonal worker accommodation

Investment support and productivity

Berry growers continue to invest heavily in productivity, sustainability and climate resilience. However, growers in England and Wales no longer have access to the types of direct support schemes – like the former Fruit & Vegetable Aid Scheme – which are still available to growers in the EU, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Ongoing direct funding would ensure growers can continue to invest in productivity improvement measures, innovation and sustainability.

A new scheme could be funded from the current Sustainable Farming Incentive payments as they are repurposed and should:

Support environmental improvements and climate resilience
Provide a rolling three- to five-year programme to support long-term planning
Encourage collaboration across the sector
Offer match funding to unlock private investment

We are also calling for improved tax treatment to support investment across the sector, including:

Increasing the Annual Investment Allowance from £1 million to £10 million
Expanding the range of eligible investments to include infrastructure such as polytunnels and reservoirs
Shortening the write-off period for capital investment to encourage faster reinvestment in UK horticulture

In fact, the development of any targeted investment schemes that help growers improve productivity, innovation and environmental performance would be very welcome.

Exports and trade

We are calling for an agile and more responsive approval process for berry exports which will allow British berry growers to compete more effectively with EU producers in international markets and to export to the EU more efficiently. This should include:

Simpler export processes and reduced paperwork
Faster inspection and certification processes, including phytosanitary documentation
Greater support for export growth and inward trade visits
Action to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens on businesses

Promoting British produce

Government policy and public health messaging should actively support British-grown fruit and vegetables alongside healthy eating initiatives. Supporting domestic production strengthens UK food security, supports rural economies and can help reduce emissions through shorter supply chains.