And that is before the ongoing battle with the government over IHT changes – labelled a “betrayal” by farmers – after they were assured before the election by the now environment secretary Steve Reed that a Labour cabinet would not make any changes to agricultural property relief (APR).
Last week, the NFU’s president Tom Bradshaw and other leaders of agricultural organisations presented an “alternative policy proposal” for the tax changes – but quickly expressed their disappointment when the plans were not met with enthusiasm.
UK food producers plan more protests over inheritance tax changes ahead of this week’s NFU conference in London.
Farmers have been battered over the past few years by rising costs, labour shortages, and post-Brexit changes to support payments, along with increasingly unpredictable weather, particularly this winter’s flooding, which has prevented many from getting crops in the ground.
This year’s one-day NFU conference will be held for the first time in more than 20 years in the capital instead of Birmingham, after the the organisation decided to cut costs by making its usual Midlands two-day shindig every other year.
