Harriet Cross MP has made a “support them or lose them” call to the UK Government at the NFU’s Back British Farming Day amid fears a generation of farmers could be wiped out if current policy doesn’t change.
The Gordon and Buchan MP spoke to farmers, growers, and industry leaders, including NFU president Tom Bradshaw, NFUS president Andrew Connon, and NFUS policy director Jonnie Hall at the event held in London today.
Ms Cross has called on new Labour Defra secretary Emma Reynolds to “reset” the government’s relationship with the agriculture industry or face the end of family farms across the UK.
Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget, she has urged Ms Reynolds to stand up for farmers by ditching Labour’s family farm tax, committing to an increased, multi-year agriculture budget, working to enhance the profitability of farms and ensuring supply chains are fair.
Ms Cross was one of several MPs to wear the NFU’s wheatsheaf pin during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Following the event, Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross said: “The message from the industry on Back British Farming Day was simple: support us or lose us.
“The event underlined that food security is national security, recognising the work farmers do 365 days a year to feed the nation and care for our iconic countryside.
“But despite this, Labour continue to raid farmers for everything they have, with rises to employer National Insurance contributions, a new fertiliser tax, a double cab pick-up tax, and the disastrous family farm tax.
“Ahead of the Autumn budget, I am making a direct pitch to the Chancellor and new Defra secretary Emma Reynolds to scrap Labour’s family farm tax, and to give a sufficient multi-year agriculture budget that gives the industry confidence to invest in the future.
“If Labour continue to undermine farmers, there is no doubt it will be the end of family businesses and family farms across the UK.”
