New farming technology could be used to solve post-Brexit labour shortages but must be introduced carefully to avoid negative social impact, according to researchers from the University of East Anglia.

Reuters reported on the research, noting that tasks such as fruit picking, weeding and milking cows could be carried out completely by machines in a trend that is causing agriculture to change ‘beyond recognition’.

The paper also warned that the social impact of these advancements on rural communities has not been fully considered: ‘Robotics and artificial intelligence could cause job losses… others might be left behind by technological advancement, while wider society might not like how food is being produced,’ cautioned co-author David Rose.

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