The government has today (29 March) called on employers of
seasonal agricultural workers to help keep the nation safe
and restrict the spread of Covid-19 by registering for free
workplace testing.
This follows the introduction of
a new bespoke testing regime for international arrivals
this weekend, which extended the supply of free Lateral
Flow Device (LFD) tests to employers of seasonal
agricultural workers in the edible horticulture sector.
These workers play a vital role across many of our farms,
picking fruit and vegetables and helping to feed the
nation.
Under this new bespoke testing regime, international
arrivals who are in the country for longer than two days
will be required to take a test before the end of day two
and to take a further test every three days – typically on
days five and eight. Those who receive a positive test
result will be required to take a further PCR test for
variant surveillance.
Seasonal agricultural workers will be able to access these
tests through several routes, including home tests and
community testing sites. They should remain on the farm for
the 10 days after they arrive, except where necessary to
access testing.
Employers of seasonal agricultural workers who register for
workplace testing can now access free tests to help meet
this testing requirement, which will protect growers from
having to take on the greater costs of regular PCR testing,
which could save an estimated £10m for growers across the
country.
Farming Minister
Victoria Prentis has written to employers of seasonal
workers today, encouraging them to take up this offer
and register to deliver regular testing of their workers.
Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms,
so workplace testing will help to identify individuals who
may be carrying the virus without knowing it, and allow
employers to take the necessary action to stop the virus
spreading amongst their workforce.
Writing to growers across the country today, Farming
Minister Victoria Prentis said:
I am immensely grateful for the resilience our growers
have shown throughout the last year, meeting the
challenges of the pandemic and going above and beyond to
help keep the nation fed.
Now, as we look towards resuming a more normal way of
life, we must stay vigilant and do what we can to ensure
we continue to operate as safely as possible.
Regular testing protects businesses, helps keep workers
safe and is vital to our continuing recovery. I urge our
farmers and growers to work with us to protect their
workforces, their businesses and our food supply.
The tests can be carried out at a designated workplace
site, and for businesses of over 10 people, employers can
dispense those tests for staff to take at home. If positive
results come back, staff must take swift action to isolate
and undertake a confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction
(PCR) test.
In addition, those overseas looking to work within the
edible horticulture sector will be able to undertake the
mandatory two week quarantine period on the farm, meaning
they can carry out certain tasks under Covid-safe
conditions during that time. This has already proved to be
vitally important for the sector, with government taking
action to ensure that pickers were able to get straight to
work gathering last year’s harvest.
Employers must register for the programme by the 12 April
to receive a supply of free test kits until the end of
June.
