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Agricultural Wages Board

Introduction

The Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) is an independent body with a statutory obligation to fix minimum wages for workers employed in agriculture in England and Wales. The Board also has discretionary powers to decide other terms and conditions of employment, e.g. holidays and sick pay. It produces a legally binding Order which is enforced by Defra.
The Agricultural Wages Act 1948 gives the AWB the responsibility for fixing minimum rates of wages and other terms and conditions of employment for workers employed in agriculture. This is done through the Agricultural Wages Order (the Order), which has the force of law and is enforced by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Order applies to all workers employed in agriculture in England and Wales.

Enquiries about the Order

The AWB does not deal with enquiries about the provisions of the Agricultural Wages Order.  If you have such an enquiry please contact the Agricultural Wages Team:

Tel: 0845 0000134p
Tel: 01270 754106

Email: agriwages@defra.gsi.gov.uk

News

Agricultural Wage Negotiations 2008 - Proposals Only

The Agricultural Wages Board met on 16-18 June 2008 to discuss proposals for a new Wages Order to come into force on 1 October 2008. Full details of the proposals (PDF 93KB) are available. Anyone wishing to make representations in respect of these proposals should send them to the Secretary of the Board, to be received not later than 5.00pm on Monday 21 July 2008. Where representations object to these proposals, such representations should state clearly why the proposed changes should not be introduced or why the Board’s proposals should be modified.

News releases
Guide to the Agricultural Wage Order

The Board has produced a short guide to the Agricultural Wages Order. This is intended to help employers and workers to become acquainted with the main provisions of the Order. It is not a legal document and should not be treated as such. It is for the Courts and the Employment Tribunals to interpret the law in each individual case.

Publication scheme

For details of the AWB publication scheme please see:

Agricultural employment

For more information please see www.defra.gov.uk/farm/agwork.htm

Contacting the Agricultural Wages Board

The Secretary to the
Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales
Defra
Area 7E, 9 Millbank
c/o 17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR

Tel: 020 7238 6523
Fax: 020 7238 6553
Email: agriwages@arp.defra.gsi.gov.uk

Further information

Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat pdf logo documents.

Page last modified: 26 June 2008
Page published: 16 March 2005

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs