Supermarkets have called for the government to pause and consult after talks with the NFU.
The news follows the launch of the in support of the campaign. Last week saw a show of strength from businesses exhibiting at LAMMA with representatives uniting behind NFU President Tom Bradshaw and NFU Cymru President Aled Jones over the proposed changes to APR and BPR (Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief).
Strength of support
Responding to the news, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淚 have never known such strength of support from all major British retailers on a single farming issue.
鈥溁始一薶as been talking privately to retailers for some weeks and it is heartening to hear their statements of support for the NFU campaign and British farmers.
鈥淚t is clear to me that they all understand how farmers stand to be impacted by this hugely serious issue.
鈥淭hey too want the government to listen to farmers and take action so that they have the certainty they need to continue their vital role in delivering food security with strong sustainable supply chains all the way from farm to fork.鈥�
鈥�It is clear to me that they all understand how farmers stand to be impacted by this hugely serious issue.鈥�
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
皇家华人is hugely grateful for the support of retailers and the wider food and drink supply chain in backing our Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign.
NFU work
皇家华人food business unit has a close working relationship with retailers, food processors, the foodservice and hospitality sector and many other key food and drink businesses and industry associations.
Those close relationships alongside targeted discussions with our officeholder team have been key to building support for our campaign work around the family farm tax over the weeks and months since the Autumn Budget.
We meet with retailers every week to discuss a range of issues 鈥� sometimes these conversations can be quite challenging but on this issue, there is absolute agreement.
In addition to the regular conversations between the food business unit and retailer agriculture teams, Tom Bradshaw has personally met with Chief Executives from many of the main retailers including Waitrose on farm last week, Morrisons just before Christmas, Tesco shortly after the budget, with another meeting in the diary soon as part of our quarterly programme and many of the others at industry events.
What have supermarkets said?
Morrisons
Head of Agriculture at Morrisons Sophie Throup to farmers. She said: 鈥淲e want to send a message of support today for the whole of the farming community.
鈥淲e understand your anger and your frustrations at the inheritance tax and we鈥檙e with you.
鈥淲e share your concerns about the long-term future the inheritance tax is going to have on farms, particularly smaller family farms, and we know that you want something done about it. We鈥檝e been raising these concerns at the highest levels of government since November last year and we will continue to do so.鈥�
Tesco
In a , Tesco said: 鈥淥ne message is loud and clear: farmers desperately need more certainty. After years of policy change, it has been harder than ever for them to plan ahead or to invest in their farms.
鈥淥ne current area of uncertainty is the proposed change to inheritance tax relief. With many smaller farms relying on APR (Agricultural Property Relief) and BPR (Business Property Relief) we fully understand their concerns. It鈥檚 why we鈥檒l be supporting the NFU鈥檚 calls for a pause in the implementation of the policy, while a full consultation is carried out.鈥�
Co-op
In an email, sent directly to its farmer suppliers, the Co-op said: 鈥淚 would like to confirm that we have directly contacted relevant government departments to communicate our hope that they will look again at the impact of the IHT/APR changes.
鈥淲e have also agreed to sign the UK Farming Unions letter going to the government imminently, thereby joining the call for a re-consideration of the proposed tax changes.鈥�
Lidl
Also , Lidl has said: 鈥淲e are concerned that the recent changes to the Inheritance Tax regime will impact farmer and grower confidence and hold back the investment needed to build a resilient, productive and sustainable British food system.
鈥淲e, therefore, support the call by the farming community to pause the implementation of those changes and to consult with industry to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. We will be raising our concerns with Government at any opportunity we get.鈥�
Asda
Asda has said: 鈥淔arming is a vital part of our supply chain. We need a confident farming sector which is able and willing to invest in its future.
鈥淲e have been raising our concerns with Government and will be supporting the NFU鈥檚 campaign calling for a pause in the implementation of APR to allow for proper consultation.鈥�
Ocado
A spokesperson for Ocado Retail said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to supporting British farmers and know how hard they work day in, day out.
鈥淲e join the NFU鈥檚 call for a consultation on inheritance tax 鈥� the proposed increase will impact farmers鈥� ability to continue developing a resilient British food system.鈥�
Aldi
An Aldi spokesperson said: 鈥淏ritish farmers and suppliers are the lifeblood of our business. We are proud of our support for the UK farming community and of the fact that 100% of our fresh everyday beef, pork, poultry, eggs, butter, milk and cream is British.
鈥淲e all need a farming sector that can confidently invest in its future and continue to produce high-quality British food. That's why we are supporting the farming community鈥檚 calls for the Government to pause the implementation of its proposed changes to inheritance tax until a further period of consultation has taken place.鈥�
Marks & Spencer
Managing Director of Food at M&S Alex Freudmann said: 鈥淢any of our farmers run small farms that have been in their families for generations and what they do is integral to our way of life.
鈥淥ur farmers are telling us they are concerned about the impact of the IHT changes and Government policy on their ability to make long term decisions about the future of their farms and on their confidence that they can pass on a viable business to the next generation.
鈥淲e have been working closely with the farming unions and support the NFU鈥檚 call to pause the policy while a full consultation is carried out. We have also raised these concerns during our own discussions with the Government.
"We support calls for the Government to pause the changes to IHT and to consult with the industry to ensure they avoid placing risk on the investment needed to guarantee the future of UK food security, the protection our countryside, and the safeguarding of a vital part of our national life.鈥�
Waitrose
Executive Director at Waitrose James Bailey said: 鈥淎griculture is the backbone of our food system and of rural Britain and we are hearing from our farmers that inheritance tax is limiting their ability to plan ahead.
鈥淚t is important that the Government considers the impact of these changes and listens to farmers鈥� concerns.鈥�
厂补颈苍蝉产耻谤测鈥檚
Simon Roberts, 厂补颈苍蝉产耻谤测鈥檚 Chief Executive, said: 鈥淲e are proud of our 150-year partnership with British farmers. These relationships are incredibly important to us and the resilience of the UK food system.
鈥淚 would urge the Government to work closely with farmers to make sure they listen to their concerns, because we need a successful, productive and thriving food system to make sure that we can produce what we need here in the UK for our customers.鈥�
皇家华人will continue to work together with all industries that share our concerns over the government's proposals.
