The Efra Committee鈥檚 latest report warns of a breakdown in trust between Defra and the farming community, driven by poor communication, rushed reforms and a lack of engagement with farmers and their representatives.
皇家华人has fed into the committee鈥檚 thinking throughout this process. While we note the recommendation to delay elements of the agricultural transition, our focus remains on one of the report鈥檚 strongest conclusions, that the government鈥檚 proposed changes to inheritance tax are not fit for purpose.
Restoration of trust is urgently required
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淲e fully agree with the committee鈥檚 conclusion that 鈥榓 restoration of trust is urgently required鈥� with Defra. The department is clearly falling short in delivering for Britain鈥檚 food security and for British farming in a number of key areas.
鈥淭here are issues which are not Defra鈥檚 fault, such as the appalling decision on inheritance tax for farms, and there are good things the department has done, particularly in protecting our high production standards in recent trade deals. But all too often there has been a lack of stakeholder engagement and a lack of partnership which has led to bad decisions being sprung on the industry."
鈥溁始一薽aintains that this legislation is fundamentally unfit, destructive, badly constructed and must be changed.鈥澛�
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Since the Budget announcement, the NFU has been pushing hard against the proposed changes to agricultural property relief, warning that they would disrupt family succession, cause deep uncertainty and place unfair pressure on older farmers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to the Chair and his committee for consistently scrutinising the cruel inheritance tax proposals,鈥� Tom added. 鈥淲e are glad to see that it agrees this policy is unfit to become legislation. We understand why the committee has asked for a delay, but that doesn鈥檛 take the terrible pressure off older farmers."
Family farm tax legislation must be changed
Tom Bradshaw continued: 鈥溁始一薽aintains that this legislation is fundamentally unfit, destructive, badly constructed and must be changed.鈥�
皇家华人remains committed to working with the department to restore confidence and ensure policies support a thriving farming sector.
鈥淲e continue to have a positive working relationship with Defra,鈥� Tom Bradshaw added, 鈥渂ut, like the Efra Committee, we would welcome improvements in stakeholder management and the communication of policy. I believe the Secretary of State, whom I am sure shares this view, will see this as a positive opportunity for change.鈥�
