The UK’s dairy industry is warning that a severe shortage of skilled workers is placing the nation’s food security at risk, with the situation worsening since Brexit and the pandemic.
A survey by Arla, the UK’s largest dairy cooperative and owner of the Lurpak and Cravendale brands, found that five in six dairy farmers seeking staff received few or no applications from qualified candidates. The results reveal a growing challenge in attracting skilled labour, with 84% of farmers highlighting difficulties this year compared to 79% in 2021.
The loss of free movement for EU workers, combined with economic pressures following Covid-19, has made recruitment significantly harder across the agricultural sector. Nearly half of farmers surveyed said retaining staff had become more difficult since Brexit and the pandemic, while just 5% reported any improvement.
The survey also found that 13% of dairy farmers would consider leaving the industry within the next year if labour shortages persist. Six per cent have already been forced to cut milk production as a result.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board reports that nearly 200 British dairy farmers left the sector in the year to April 2025, bringing the total number of producers down to 7,040. Arla itself has seen membership fall by about 300 over the past three years, largely due to retirements and farm consolidations, although production volumes have so far remained steady.
Industry leaders warn that a continued decline in farmer numbers could threaten the UK’s self-sufficiency in liquid milk. This could ultimately lead to higher costs and reduced availability of dairy products on supermarket shelves, affecting millions of consumers.
Like many in the sector, Arla operates apprenticeship schemes and industrial placements to encourage new entrants. The cooperative welcomed government recognition of the issue but stressed the need for concrete action to attract younger workers.
The dairy sector has one of the oldest workforces in UK agriculture, with nearly half of farmers aged 55 or over. Most younger workers join through family connections, with two-thirds of surveyed farms passed down for at least four generations, while just 3% are first-generation farmers.
Without urgent action to address the shortage of skilled labour, farmers warn that the UK dairy industry could face a significant decline, putting both rural livelihoods and national food supply at risk.
