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An OxfonJshire dairy farmer who unwittingly fell foul of the law when recruiting two farm workers has called for employment rules to be clarified.
Brian Barnett, of Bill Barnett and Partners, received a conditional discharge after pleading guilty to using an unlicensed labour provider to recruit two Filipino dairy workers for the family farm at Brize Norton.
It was a genuine mistake, Mr Barnett told Swindon Magistrates Court on Monday (24 October). Like many farmers, he had no idea that licensing rules applied to agencies supplying skilled dairy workers on a one-to-one basis.
Speaking after the case, Mr Barnett said he and his family had been through 18 months of hell since they were first contacted by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) in April 2010 and accused of exploiting migrant workers.
The GLA had a role to play, Mr Barnett told Farmers Weekly. But it was unclear how far that role extended, he added. "Most farmers don't understand what rules apply to them and there is a lot more legislation in this...