UFU President William Irvine on his County Armagh farm. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) welcomes the recent presentation by Robin Swann MP of a petition to Parliament on behalf of 15,000 farmers, voicing strong opposition to the proposed removal of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) from inheritance tax.
UFU president William Irvine said, “The potential removal of these reliefs would be devastating for farm families across Northern Ireland. These farms form the backbone of our rural economy, contributing to food production, environmental stewardship, and sustaining rural communities. Removing these essential tax reliefs threatens their future viability.”
The UFU emphasised that despite clear evidence from DAERA outlining the severe consequences these changes would have on the agricultural sector in NI, the Government continues to overlook the additional unique circumstances faced by farm businesses in Northern Ireland.
“This lack of understanding cannot go unchallenged,” president Irvine added. “We commend all Northern Ireland politicians for standing up for farmers and ensuring their concerns are heard at the highest level.”
The UFU remains fully committed to opposing these harmful proposals and will continue working closely with elected representatives to protect the future of family farms.
