17/07/20 Pickers say farm conditions left them vulnerable; Cancelled agricultural shows - filling the gap for children

Farming Today

• Episode: 17/07/20 Pickers say farm conditions left them vulnerable; Cancelled agricultural shows - filling the gap for children
• Website: Farming Today
• Feed URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj8q/episodes/downloads.rss
• Duration: 00:13:39
• Published: 2020-07-17 00:17

The welfare of agriculture workers is under scrutiny after an outbreak of Covid 19 on a farm in Herefordshire. Some veg pickers who worked there say there weren't enough precautions and claim there was only one portable toilet for up to 60 people. The farm insists it's followed all the safety guidelines for seasonal workers. We ask the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority what it can do to protect workers. The cancellation of agricultural shows has left a big hole in the rural calendar. In West Sussex children usually have a dedicated educational show of their own - "Connect with the Countryside". Due to the pandemic, this has been cancelled too, but the South of England Agricultural Society is finding other ways to teach them about farming. Presenter - Charlotte Smith Producer - Rebecca Rooney