NFU calls prime minister to stand by his commitments ahead of Budget 

While in opposition at the NFU’s conference in 2023, the prime minister said that British farmers and growers need a government that “seeks a new relationship with the countryside and farming communities […] based on respect, on genuine partnership”, NFU recalled. 

He also said, “we can’t have underspends in the allocated money, we can’t have farmers struggling while they wait for the right Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) standards to be announced. We can’t have everyone burnt out by the bureaucracy and constantly moving goal posts, it’s too important”. 

Essential investment 

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said that the prime minister’s words were warmly greeted at the NFU conference.  

He added: “We finally heard recognition of the certainty and stability needed for a thriving food and farming industry – one that underpins the UK’s largest manufacturing sector food and drink, which delivers £148 billion to the economy. 

“However, reports that the government is considering cutting the agriculture budget due to the failure of the previous government leading to an underspend of £358 million, and a possible review of Agriculture Property Relief (APR) are incredibly concerning.  

“We are asking for a renewed multi-year annual agriculture budget of £5.6 billion, not because it would be nice to have, but because it is an essential investment to deliver the government’s environmental goals, increase growth and support the economic stability of farm businesses.” 

Mr Bradshaw added that the loss of APR could mean family farms, who are vital to producing food for the country, providing jobs and looking after our countryside, having to be sold to cover the costs.  

Changes would amount to a Family Farm Tax that would also have a devastating impact on tenant farmers and new entrants.   

READ MORE: Scrapping inheritance tax reliefs would mean death to many farms, farmers warn 

Need for stability and partnership 

The NFU president continued: “At a time when farmer and grower confidence is at its lowest on record due to high production costs, extreme weather and uncertainty during the agricultural transition, we need stability and that genuine partnership with government, which the prime minister spoke of.  

“That is why on 30th October we’re asking for an increased agriculture budget and confirmation of no change to APR. This will deliver certainty to our food producing businesses and ensure our food security and environmental targets, all of which contribute to the government’s own missions for growth and prosperity.” 

The NFU is also asking the Treasury to, among others, ensure adequate resourcing to deliver the Farming and Countryside Programme, maintain flood defences and deliver the government’s new bTB strategy.  

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