EDM: Supporting British farmers

Supporting British farmers

Tabled by Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat) 34 signatures

The motion

That this House recognises the vital contribution of British farmers to food security, environmental protection, and rural communities; notes with great concern that 30% of farms failed to make profit in 2023/24 and the UK has seen a 5.8% decline in dairy producers; acknowledges farmers are being forced to diversify due to poor profitability; calls on the Government to support farmers’ efforts to diversify alongside their work in food production; further calls on the Government to increase the farming budget by £1 billion a year; also calls for fairer trade deals post-Brexit that protect farming standards and ensure British farmers are not undercut; highlights the urgent need to support farmers facing extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as flooding and droughts, to maintain national food security; further notes the financial strain on family farms due to Inheritance Tax changes, and understands that the new exemption of only the first £1 million in agricultural and business assets leaves many family farms vulnerable; further highlights the case of a brother and sister in West Dorset, who are seventh generational dairy farmers, who will face a tax bill of £400,000 upon their mother's passing, which will exceed their annual profits; calls on supermarkets to prioritise paying farmers fairly rather than prioritising profit; and further calls for the introduction of a fairer food supply chain, greater investment in agricultural technology, stronger mental health support for farmers, and protections for high-quality farmland to support domestic food production.

Signatories (34)