The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) recently welcomed Defra's announcement of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) in England and Wales.
Following the publication of responses to Defra's consultation, plans to scrap the AWB were added as an amendment of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill at the House of Lords Committee Stage. David Heath MP, Minister for Farming announced that the 'outdated and bureaucratic' farm labour restrictions will be abolished as early as October next year.

The HTA's director of business development Tim Briercliffe said: "As an industry we have been lobbying for the abolition of the outdated board for many years in order to harmonise the sector with the rest of the economy. I am pleased that the government has listened and that finally the end is in sight."

He added: "Of course this only applies to the AWB in England and Wales and we will continue to lobby on behalf of our members in Northern Ireland and Scotland who still have to comply with the restrictions of their agricultural wages boards."