One week on, Suffolk farmers urge new Government to deliver long-term certainty
Andy Burnham has been in his new role as Prime Minister for a week.
A week after the change in Government, Suffolk farmers are urging ministers to end years of uncertainty, warning political instability has left businesses reluctant to invest and held back the wider rural economy.
George Gittus, Chair of the Suffolk Agricultural Association, said successive changes in ministers and short-term policymaking had created uncertainty for farmers, who often make investment decisions over decades rather than parliamentary terms.
The need for certainty
He said agriculture needed long-term certainty if businesses were to invest with confidence.
"We've got to stop this merry-go-round," he said.
"Many of the cycles in farming... will outlast a Parliament. So to talk about stuff that is annual is just crazy.
"We need proper, long-term, stable policies."
Mr Gittus said farmers would judge the new Government on whether it followed through on its commitments to rural communities.
"The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and he will be held accountable for those words," he said.
"Farming and the countryside has the ability to provide food and just need the right environment and the right positive message to come through to be able to do that."
The impact on the industry
He believes years of political uncertainty have discouraged investment across the industry.
Asked whether farmers had stopped investing because of the lack of long-term certainty, Mr Gittus replied: "Totally."
He said greater stability would encourage businesses to invest in people, productivity, nature and the local economy.
"It would bring all the things that any country and any economy wants, which is the ability for us to feel comfortable making investments.
"...investing in people, investing in nature, investing in productivity... the local economy."
Mr Gittus also argued that changes to the tax regime had discouraged investment, including major infrastructure projects on farms.
"There are ways of incentivising investment in farming... changing the tax regime to encourage investment.
"All they've done to date is discourage investment."
He said greater confidence within farming would have benefits beyond individual businesses, with money typically flowing into the wider rural economy through local contractors, machinery suppliers and construction firms.
"The vast majority of that went into the local economy," he said.
"So be it the fencing contractor, a machinery supplier, a building contractor putting up a livestock building... it goes back into the rural economy."
We've contacted the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs for comment
Government response
A Defra spokesperson said:
“This government is putting its full weight behind farmers - giving them the funding, tools and opportunities to succeed.
“Our Farming Roadmap sets the first long-term vision for farming since the Second World War, backed by £11.8 billion of investment, to ensure farmers get the stability they need as well as a profitable and sustainable sector."
Background
Agricultural Property Relief
- We’ve increased the individual threshold from £1 million to £2.5 million. Couples with estates of up to £5 million will now pay no inheritance tax on their estates. The allowance will be transferable between spouses and civil partners. It will also apply to widowers who have lost spouses or civil partners before the policy is introduced.
This will halve the number of estates claiming Agricultural Property Relief (including those also claiming Business Property Relief) affected by the reforms, better targeting the relief.
Action taken on Farming
Supporting British farmers and boosting the nation’s food security are key priorities for this government. We have already delivered early first steps for British farmers:
Announced a Farming and Food Partnership Board which will bring together voices from farming, food, retail and finance to drive profitability, building on the recommendations made in Baroness Batters’ Profitability Review.
Allocated a record £11.8bn to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament to where it delivers most value – supporting nature, because all farms need healthy soils, abundant pollinators, and clean water to produce good food.
Engaged with stakeholders on a 25-year Farming Roadmap which will set out the Government’s long-term vision for farming, giving farmers the clarity they need to plan ahead.
Protected farmers in trade deals and unlocked new markets for British produce to fuel growth, including with the USA, India and China.
Provided grants to help the sector access cutting-edge technology and techniques, like robotic weeders, which reduce chemical use in our countryside and help farmers grow more food. We have committed to spend at least £200 million up to 2030 through the Farming Innovation Programme to improve productivity and trial new technologies as part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
Extended the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme for another three years - with £30 million in funding in the first year - meaning farmers in our most precious landscapes can continue delivering for nature, climate and their communities.
Extended the Seasonal Worker Visa Scheme for five years, making it easier for farm businesses to get the labour they need. We will support farms while carrying out annual quota reviews to ensure the number of visas gradually reduce.
Announced plans to invest over £200 million in a new National Biosecurity Centre to protect livestock from diseases and strengthen trade opportunities.
Started to make the supply chain fairer so farmers are protected in contracts with supermarkets, including laying regulations to protect smaller British pig farmers in June.
Announced £30 million to support peer-to-peer networks and advice, providing funding for existing and new farmer groups to get the expertise they need to grow their businesses and protect the environment.
Confirmed a new round of Environmental Land Management Capital Grants opening in July 2026 with increased funding of up to £225 million available to support investment in infrastructure that boosts productivity, strengthens resilience and supports environmental outcomes.