A challenging year, but success too for farming - Bradshaw
Despite a challenging year for the farming industry, there have been successes which mustn't be overlooked, NFU president Tom Bradshaw has said in his New Year message.
Mr Bradshaw said these include new legislation on dairy contracts after more than a decade of campaigning that provides fairer and more transparent supply chains, a first US export opportunity for UK beetroot growers, a Code of Practice for tenant farmers and eight of the UK’s major retailers backing the NFU's long-standing call for ‘buy British’ tabs to be added to their websites.
He said it impossible not to reflect on the stark picture of the challenges faced by UK farming over the past 12 months. Volatile input costs, commodity prices at record levels in some farming sectors and on the floor in others, a reduction in direct payments and one of the wettest periods in decades that resulted in a disastrous harvest, have left their mark and many farming businesses worse off.
“To cap a wretched year, we saw a Labour government, which, after 14 years in opposition, promised to reset its relations with British farmers and deliver a much-needed lift to farmer confidence. Instead, it delivered an inflationary Budget and all but removed the tax reliefs for agriculture property and business property,” he added.
“It is also hugely important that the overwhelming public support British farming continues to attract remains steadfast. More than 265,000 people have signed our family farm tax petition expressing their anger and frustration and backing NFU calls for an immediate u-turn. It gives me great strength to know that Britain's farmers and growers are respected and much valued by the public, who rank our job as one of the most important and well-respected professions, second only to nursing.
“Our ambitions are clear, and the manifesto commitment from this government, that national security is food security, gave us hope to deliver the thriving industry that farmers and growers want to be a part of. This acknowledgement must go hand in hand with investment to grow the farming sector and see it deliver on its potential for increased productivity, job creation, and economic and environmental delivery. We are proud to produce the raw ingredients that underpin our essential food and drink sector, the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, worth a huge £148 billion, and employing more than four million people.
“All of us know that fairness in the supply chain is key. We also know how hard it is to achieve, given the entire supply chain and government needs to move. We’ve started a concerted effort this year to try to see change here, and whilst it's early days we are seeing real progress behind the scenes. It’s a big task, but amid all the heat and light of other issues, we will be pushing hard on this in 2025.
“Clearly, the shadow hanging over the industry from the disastrous proposed reforms to IHT makes delivering these ambitions impossible. To move forwards, we need the government to urgently recognise the need to pause and consult so we can focus on delivering the far more exciting agenda above.
“As we head into the new year, we will build on the momentum of the public’s unwavering support and strive to ensure we are doing everything we can to help deliver a thriving and profitable farming industry - one that is good for shoppers, good for the environment and good for a secure supply of British food.”