Preserving Family Farms: A Call to Action for Sustainable Farming

We owe a debt of gratitude to farmers, who must think long-term to sustain their farms. Labour talks about looking after workers, but who can be harder working and more dedicated than our country’s farmers? They don’t have the luxury of starting at 9 am and knocking off at 5 pm; they care for their farms at all hours of the day and night, in all sorts of weather, doing whatever is needed. There are more industrial accidents on farms than in any other profession. In some cases, farming can be a lonely profession, with suicide rates alarmingly high among farmers compared to other professions. All of this makes farming an unattractive career choice for many youngsters. Therefore, we should encourage as many family-owned farms as possible.

Britain could not feed itself during the Second World War in the 1940s, and things have only worsened as Britain now imports 40% of its food.

Yet, rather than encouraging the long-term thinking needed in farming, the Labour government has introduced an ill-thought-out policy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to remove the longstanding exemption for farms valued over £1 million, introducing a 20% tax on amounts exceeding this threshold, effective from April 2026. The National Farmers' Union (NFU) suggests that more than 60% of farms could be impacted by these changes to inheritance tax (IHT) affecting agricultural assets. It is understood by most that farmers are asset-rich but cash-poor, which will force them to sell portions of their land to meet tax obligations, jeopardising family-run farms and domestic food security. The annal profit made on an average farm ranges from £39,000 per year for a cereal farm, to £143,00 for a specialist poultry farm, not large sums when the amount of work required is taken into account. With the increase in technology needed for farming the value of equipment and assets will be set to increase to keep farming efficient and this tax will have an even larger impact.

Sir Keir Starmer, at the NFU conference in 2024, promised to provide certainty for farming, food security, and a new relationship with British farmers. He has certainly got a new relationship but not the one everyone was expecting. Farmers have accused him of lying to them for an hour at the conference, and they no longer trust him. Yet another example of bluster and broken promises, saying whatever is needed to get elected.

Rather than admitting they got it wrong, the Labour government is trying to placate the farmers. Environment Secretary Steve Reed announced plans to extend the seasonal farm worker scheme by five years and proposed a £110 million investment in farming technology. All of this will do very little to encourage the long-term planning needed to guarantee Britain’s food security. We should not be penalising farmers so Labour can fund its ideological plans for the public sector, we need to encourage family farms and long-term food security.

Disclaimer: While this article aligns with the principles outlined in Reform UK's 'Contract with the People,' the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official policy positions of Reform UK.