Farmers may be the scapegoats, but this Budget has sown the end of our countryside

18 November 2024, 15:03

With the announcement of Rachel Reeves’ and the Labour Party’s new Autumn budget, one of the sectors most significantly impacted has been agriculture.

As a young farmer, I can attest to the challenges faced by families like mine, who are working to pass down our multi-generational farm to its third generation. When the time inevitably comes for this transition, our family farm will face considerable hardship, which has now been exacerbated by the recent budget. The survival of the farm will be called into question.

Labour’s decision to remove existing support schemes and not change the existing agricultural budget is also a significant blow to the farming community. Agricultural funding from the government has remained stagnant from 2019 to 2024, despite a 44% increase in inflation within the sector during this period. Such funding levels reflect diminishing opportunities for support at a time when it is most needed.

Government support for farmers has been on a consistent downward trajectory, recalling the period when former Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged farmers to "diversify" in order to survive. However, with the recent removal of inheritance tax reliefs for agricultural businesses, diversification will be rendered ineffective. The tax burdens on farms will only continue to increase.

It is often argued that farmers are asset-rich, but in practical terms, this wealth is not readily accessible unless the land is sold, which is not the preferred option for the majority of farmers. Most farmers feel a deep sense of responsibility to carry forward the work of their predecessors, and many have a genuine passion for the industry.

Farming is not a nine-to-five job; there are no weekends or Christmas holidays. Animals require feeding, crops need tending, and fields must be cared for, regardless of the unpredictable British weather.

For many, the only options will be to further incur debt or sell parts of the land and assets when farms are passed down to the next generation. This will leave farmers with less land to produce food for the public, greater financial burdens, fewer staff, less ability to scale businesses and machinery that is increasingly mismatched to the scale of their operations.

The implications are far-reaching beyond solely the farmers themselves too; with the resulting less produce made on our shores in an ever more polarising world a frightening prospect.

If farmers are forced to cut up and sell their land, the countryside which is cherished by many, may be sold to the highest bidder. It is likely that large corporations will purchase more agricultural land, potential sites for further housing and commercial site development in our rural areas.

It is estimated that £560m will be generated from the removal of reliefs. Does this somehow magically fill the £22 billion hole? How does this relatively small figure equate to the decimation of an industry that is at the heart of Britain?

We are at a critical juncture for the future of agriculture, and the policies enacted by the government have placed us in this position. In response, protest and collective action by all are vital to safeguard the future of British farming and make the Government go back on what are painful and brutal mistakes that will extend far beyond solely the farmers that they directly target.

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