Great Britain will offer 800 foreign butchers an emergency six-month visa to prevent mass slaughtering of pigs. British pig farmers say that the departure of foreign workers after Brexit has left their meat sector in a crisis.
Government officials say that Britain's exit from the EU and the coronavirus pandemic have led to an exodus of Eastern European workers. As a result, about 120,000 pigs are now waiting in overcrowded pens and barns to be slaughtered.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said that temporary visas could solve the problem.
“What we are going to do is allow butchers in slaughterhouses and meat processors to temporarily come under the seasonal workers scheme for up to six months,” Eustice told reporters.
He said about 800 butchers are needed to clear the backlog. Additionally, he announced support to help slaughterhouses store meat.
Earlier, the British government offered a similar solution for the transport sector. It was then announced that several hundred foreign truck drivers may temporarily work again in the United Kingdom. That has so far resulted in 27 applicants.
The National Pig Association said in a statement that it was “very relieved” the government had taken measures to reduce the backlog, calling it “a step in the right direction. The main thing is how quickly we can get those butchers here,” the board said. “We just need them here as soon as possible.”