Farming union calls on Keir Starmer to live up to his commitments at the 2023 NFU Conference
The NFU has written to the Prime Minister to ask the government to commit to a long-term seasonal worker scheme.
On behalf of its 45,000 farming and growing members, the NFU is calling on the Labour government to deliver a renewed agriculture budget and confirm the continuation of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) on 30 October.
In the letter, the NFU asked the treasury to introduce enhanced capital allowances and investments into the climate, and only apply capital gains tax increases to non-business or short-term gains.
The farming union would also like to see the government commit to a further round of the rural England prosperity fund and ensure adequate resourcing to deliver the Farming and Countryside Programme (FCP).
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.”
Keir Starmer 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.”
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “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 30 October we’re asking for an increased agriculture budget and confirmation of no change to APR.
“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’.
“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.”
Bradshaw added: “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.”
