Access to migrant workers is vital to more than half of rural businesses, according to a new survey conducted by the Country Land and Business Association.

The CLA believe that restricting access to migrant workers, once the UK leaves the EU, would negatively impact the profitability, efficiency and viability of more than half of rural businesses.

Revealing the results at the South of England Show, the CLA said Brexit had already caused problems for rural employers.

Many of those surveyed said they had experienced a reduction in the availability of migrant labour over the past year, and almost 90 per cent said they tried to recruit locally, but struggled to fill position with British workers.

One in ten CLA members employ migrant workers in managerial positions, with almost a quarter of respondents saying they worked in skilled roles, such as training horses or operating complex machinery.

The survey revealed that although overseas labour peaks during harvest months, workers are employed all year round within rural businesses.

CLA senior economics adviser Dr Charles Trotman said: "Our survey shows that rural businesses employ thousands of migrant workers who are vital to the rural economy.

"Most CLA members employ fewer than 10 migrant workers per business although others employ many more.

“The Government must provide certainty that after Brexit there will still be a flexible, skilled and secure workforce in order for rural businesses to plan for the future.

"To support the already acute shortage of labour a new seasonal agricultural workers scheme must be introduced immediately, not after the UK has left the EU and the Government must also confirm the status of EU migrant workers in sectors such as food processing, horticulture and tourism already resident in the UK.”

Marion Regan, managing director of soft fruit growers Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, said: "Like all growers of fantastic fresh British produce, we rely on a sustainable seasonal workforce to grow and harvest our fruit.

"I am confident that we will continue to have great people from other countries helping us with our harvest if the Government understands the importance of reintroducing a Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme.”