NFU Cymru Brecon & Radnor members meet MP and MS during family farm tax campaign
Farmers in Brecon and Radnorshire met with their local MP and MS as part of the NFU’s National Day of Unity events being held around the UK to show the industry’s opposition to the family farm tax.
A delegation of farmers from across the county met with Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick and Mid and West Wales Regional MS Jane Dodds on Saturday, January 25 to press home their opposition to the UK Government’s proposed changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR).
The changes – which have been dubbed a ‘family farm tax’ – are likely to severely impact farming families across the UK and put the nation’s food security at risk.
The meetings with David Chadwick MP and Jane Dodds MS, which were held in Llandrindod Wells and Hay-on-Wye respectively, allowed the delegation of farmers to share their own financial analysis illustrating the very real story of devastation their businesses could face – along with thousands of others across the UK - if the proposed policy remains unchanged.
Rob Powell, NFU Cymru Brecon & Radnor County Chairman said: “In a constituency such as Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, the vast majority of farming income is redeployed into the wider rural community.
“Rural businesses are already reporting a change in spending behaviours. Any contraction in rural business spending is surely a desperate unintended consequence for the UK Government. Cutting investment will simply reduce efficiency and reduce other tax contributions already made to government.
“We do not want to see food inflation as a result of this proposed tax. There are investments needed on farm to continue to meet compliance requirements and energy is being zapped as the reality of the calculations are coming to the table. The proposed APR/BPR tax burden is simply too much for farmers to absorb.”
David Chadwick MP welcomed farmers to his surgery and said: “It was good to meet farmers in my constituency, as part of the NFU’s Day of Unity, to hear exactly how the changes to APR will impact their individual family farms.
“It is clear that whilst farm asset values can be high, earnings can be low, often below minimum wage. The family farm tax threatens the survival of these farms and risks further depopulation of rural communities and food security in our country.
“With little opportunity to make new succession plans before the deadline next year, the impact on farmers’ wellbeing and mental health is also of huge concern. I will continue to do all I can to call on the Westminster Government to rethink these disastrous proposals.”
Rob Powell concluded: “It is inconceivable that this has been implemented with no consultation with the industry whatsoever. We have already seen a growing list of national food retailers publicly share their concerns over the government’s proposed changes to inheritance tax. For the benefit of the whole food supply chain and our consumers, it is important that UK Government pauses its plans and has a proper consultation on the impact of these changes. The door is open, we need to get this right – before it’s too late.”
Picture caption: Pictured (L-R) Llanwrtyd Wells farmer Geraint Watkins; NFU Cymru County Adviser Stella Owen; NFU Cymru LFA Board Chair and Pen-y-Cae farmer Kath Whitrow; NFU Cymru Brecon & Radnor Vice County Chairman and Felindre farmer Edward Harris; David Chadwick MP; and Talgarth farmer Ann Davies.
