Shropshire farmers hail partial lifting of sheep shearer ban

The Government has today bowed to pressure from Shropshire farmers and made a partial U-turn on plans to ban non-EU sheep shearers entering Britain to work.

The National Farmers' Union in Shropshire had raised "grave concerns" that there were too few British shearers to protect sheep from hot summer weather and that costs would soar due to high-demand for UK staff.

But the Home Office today admitted there were special circumstances that meant Antipodean sheep shearers should avoid its new restrictions.

A spokesman said: "It rests on the fact that they are strictly seasonal and agricultural, and filling a role for a very short time.

"From April we will introduce a concession that gives Australian, New Zealand and limited other non-visa nationals the opportunity to work during the season."

NFU Shropshire spokesman Oliver Cartwright welcomed the Government's change of heart, which came after ministers accepted that "at least 25 per cent" of UK sheep are shorn by Antipodean workers.

Mr Cartwright said: "While we have excellent shearers in Shropshire and across the country we do rely on foreign contractors because of the large numbers of animals that need shearing in a very short timescale, normally during the early summer months. Shearing animals in time is a necessity, especially when it comes to animal welfare, and it reduces the possibility of diseases like fly strike and helps the animals cope with hotter temperatures.

"Economically, there is also a lot of good wool about and it is increasing in value so farmers need access to the market."

County farmers have estimated that about 60 per cent of Shropshire sheep farms recruit Antipodean migrants workers.