Suffolk farmers urge government to back British food production
Figures show the UK relies on external sources for approximately 40% of s food.
Farmers in Suffolk are calling on the government ahead of the Budget to prioritise investment in British food production rather than applying what they call “handbrakes” to the industry.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) says rock-bottom confidence in farming, stemming from recent inheritance tax and relief reforms, is choking investment across the sector and risking food resilience in the UK.
Speaking on behalf of Suffolk farmers, NFU County Chair Glenn Buckingham said:
“If we want to improve resilience and food security in this country, we must maintain investment in our food and farming.”
He continued:
“We’ve fallen into a trap of thinking it’s cheaper to get things from overseas, but that’s failed our own economy.”
Buckingham described how lobbying efforts are underway locally, with letters sent to every Suffolk MP outlining the concerns.
“We have made a massive effort to try and put the point over,” he added.
The NFU has pointed to changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) in inheritance tax that the union says have led almost half of UK family farms to delay or cancel investments.
Addressing the upcoming Budget, the NFU is asking the government to:
- Reassess the proposed reforms to inheritance tax reliefs affecting farms.
- Set out incentives for farmers to modernise and invest in infrastructure.
- Secure long-term support for UK food production and supply chains.
In Suffolk and beyond, farming businesses say they can’t wait. The NFU warns that without urgent intervention, confidence will remain low and investment will continue to fall — potentially undermining the UK’s ability to produce its own food.