The mass lobby will give farmers the opportunity to meet with and highlight to their MPs why changes announced in the Budget have caused so much worry and anguish in their farming communities.
The union has also written to the Secretary of State for Wales, seeking an urgent meeting following Wednesday’s Budget announcement. The letter highlights the consequences of these changes on Welsh farmers who are already under immense pressure.
'Lasting damage'
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said: “For decades APR and BPR have underpinned viable working farming businesses, of all shapes and sizes. NFU Cymru’s fear is that this week’s changes, if they go ahead as planned, will cause lasting damage to Welsh farming, leading to the break-up of family farms – farms that contribute to the nation’s food security, our rural communities, the economy and of course the Welsh language.
“Returns from farming are typically extremely modest. This means that the vast majority of farm owners would be unable to meet an inheritance tax charge, leaving them with little choice but to take on additional borrowings or to sell off part of the farm in order to meet the charge, which may well render the farm unviable as a business. So, whilst a family farm may look like a valuable asset on paper, that doesn’t mean those who work it are wealthy or are able to meet a large tax bill.”
Call to reverse proposed changes
NFU Cymru has also rebutted the assertion that most family farms would not be captured by the proposed new tax. Aled Jones said: “With agricultural assets over £1m attracting inheritance tax at a rate of 20% from April 2026, I am afraid that the majority of Wales’ working family farms will be brought into the scope of this tax, rather than it being a tax which captures those individuals who have purchased agricultural land as a speculative investment.
“With so much at risk for the Welsh family farm, we’re urging the UK Government to reverse their proposed changes to APR and BPR.”
NFU members: Look out for an invite to this mass lobby in your inbox.
NFU Cymru Lobbying work - Budget
NFU Cymru writes letter to Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales
NFU Cymru writes a letter to Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales - Agricultural Property Relief & Request for an urgent meeting
NFU Cymru expresses its fears for the future of the family farm following the changes to APR and BPR announced in the Autumn statement.
‘Misguided and ill-thought-out reforms to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) will not only lead to lasting damage to Welsh farming and the break-up of family farms, but will also leave farmers with neither the means, confidence nor the incentive to invest in the future of their business,’ says NFU Cymru. Read NFU Cymru's views here
UK Autumn Budget 2024
The UK Autumn Budget 2024 is announced.
NFU Cymru writes letter to Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales
NFU Cymru writes a letter to Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales ahead of the budget announcement.
NFU Cymru writes joint letter to Chancellor ahead of Budget
NFU Cymru along with the NFU, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers’ Union writes a joint letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves following recent speculation that Inheritance Tax Reliefs (IHT), including Agricultural Property Relief (APR) as well as Business Property Relief (BPR), are to be reviewed in the Budget. Read the letter here
NFU Cymru writes to MPs ahead of Autumn budget
NFU Cymru writes a letter to all 32 Welsh MPs ahead of the new government’s first budget, setting out its position on agricultural support funding and also making the case as to why there should not be any changes to Agricultural Property Relief. Read the letter here
Farming budget tops agenda as NFU Cymru meets Welsh Government heads
NFU Cymru meet with Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales, alongside Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies. Top of the agenda was funding for agriculture and progress on the development of the Sustainable Farming Scheme. Read more here
NFU Cymru writes letter to Chancellor ahead of Budget
NFU Cymru at the Conservative Party Conference
NFU Cymru joined the NFU at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. NFU held a fringe panel event discussing the future agriculture budget.
NFU Cymru at the Labour Party Conference
NFU Cymru joined the NFU at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. NFU Cymru used this as an opportunity to push forward our key ask of Government; that is an agricultural budget that allows us to be able to meet our ambitions to be world leading in the production of climate friendly food against a backdrop where nature is thriving on our farms. Read more here
NFU Cymru meets with Defra Minister of State, Daniel Zeichner MP
NFU Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader was pleased to welcome Defra Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner on to her farm. This visit gave the Minister an opportunity to look at some of the issues and challenges facing agriculture, specifically those non-devolved matters such as future UK Government funding for the sector and the UK’s national food security. Read more here
Budget top of the agenda at County Shows
Throughout July & August the budget was discussed at County Shows across Wales.
Budget top of the agenda at NFU Cymru General Election hustings
NFU Cymru members across Wales had the opportunity to quiz their parliamentary candidates at county General Election hustings.