questionText: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to help ensure that UK sheep farmers have sufficient access to skilled seasonal shearers for the 2026 shearing season.
answerText: With a national flock of around 30m sheep, Defra recognises the importance that shearing sheep plays in managing the health and welfare of the UK flock. We acknowledge that industry faces continued challenges each year in sourcing sufficient numbers of tr...
heading: Livestock Industry: Seasonal Workers