Farming Talk: Back British Farming Day comes at a vital time for our industry

The NFU’s annual flagship rallying call for political backing and continued public support takes place on Wednesday, September 10, and it comes during a period of many challenges.

The driest spring in more than 100 years has seriously impacted this year’s harvest for many across Shropshire and beyond.

With increasing certainty, periods of hot dry weather are often followed by heavy rain, leading to severe flooding, further hampering farmland and our ability to produce food.

We need the government to work with us to help build resilience to enable farmers to better prepare for these extreme weather events.

The NFU’s Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign continues as we urge government to reconsider its seriously miscalculated inheritance tax plans, which threaten the very future of many small and medium-sized family farms in the county and across the country.

The policy threatens the rural economy and our ability to deliver national food security.

We are not alone in our criticism of this policy. Independent research centre CenTax has just published a report which states the inheritance tax changes will not achieve the government’s goal of tackling the issue of people buying farmland to avoid paying tax.

The report adds that farmers will be disproportionately impacted by the changes.

The cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee concluded the inheritance tax proposals are not fit for purpose and the Office for Budget Responsibility stated elderly farmers could be left ‘horribly exposed’ with no time to make necessary changes to their businesses.

While other rural business leaders, including those in allied sectors, continue to highlight the devastating impact the family farm tax could have on the entire rural economy.

Elsewhere, concerns are growing over the future of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the government’s flagship scheme to reward environmentally friendly farming and nature recovery. Broad access across the industry is desperately needed.

There are a host of other issues too - rural crime continues to have an impact on farming families and wider consequences for our towns, then there is land use, planning and the on-going fight to ensure farmers get fair deals from supermarkets, among others.

The NFU is working to tackle these challenges and more, engaging with key stakeholders and harnessing the outstanding public support there is for farmers and growers.

I see the support from shoppers for our industry on a regular basis and this is hugely appreciated.

Farming is synonymous with the Midlands and is vital to the success of our counties.

In addition, farmers are there to help out in times of need, not hesitating to get out in our tractors to rescue people stranded in floods, clearing roads during snow and generally helping out in the community.

Furthermore, many volunteer their time to go into schools to help educate young people about where their food comes from, adding a whole new perspective to their learning experiences in the classroom.

Back British Farming Day is a great opportunity to celebrate our food producers and this year there will be a focus on some of our farming community heroes.

The NFU will also be celebrating across the county and in Westminster, engaging with MPs on some of the big political issues.

Shropshire MPs will again be encouraged to wear a wool and wheat-pin badge as a show of support for the industry.

The wheat for the pin badge comes from the Bubb family who farm near Newport.

The government has said loud and clear that “food security is national security.”

Now it must prove that those are not just empty words with all government departments recognising the importance of British food and farming. The Treasury has to listen to the multiple reasoned arguments that say it has got inheritance tax changes wrong, engage properly with the NFU and make changes while it still can.

Defra also needs to release details on SFI soon to enable farmers and growers to plan.

By doing this, the government can demonstrate that it truly understands the critical link between farmers’ ability to feed our nation and keeping people healthy and safe, amid growing geopolitical tensions and a worsening climate crisis.

County shoppers can continue their support too by helping the NFU spread the word about why farming is so important to their community.

Speak to friends and family about county food and farming, write to your MP and help spread positive messages about farming and where possible, buy British.

We have a proud farming history and people are sometimes closer to food production than they think and not just through the food we all need to eat.

In fact, you probably know someone who works in agriculture, horticulture, tourism, catering or one of the many associated trades or even at a local supermarket or food and drink business.

With political backing and continued public support, Shropshire farmers and growers can have a positive future.

Mark Meadows grows crops including wheat, barley and oil seed and is NFU Midlands regional board vice chair representing the industry and members across Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.