UFU president William Irvine on his County Armagh farm. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging the government to reaffirm its commitment to Northern Ireland’s farmers by confirming an increased agriculture budget and safeguarding Agricultural Property Relief (APR) against inheritance tax.
The letter emphasises the importance of ensuring a stable and sustainable future for the agricultural sector here as final decisions are taken about the details of next week’s budget.
UFU president William Irvine stressed that any reduction in the agriculture budget or changes to APR could have serious consequences for family farms. “We are facing rising production costs and low returns, unpredictable weather events and ongoing uncertainty around the agricultural transition policies. Farmers need to be adequately supported to sustain viable businesses. Any reduction in the agriculture budget or changes to APR would put the future of many farm families at risk and undermine national food security.”
Mr Irvine warned that budget cuts, combined with a potential review of APR would directly threaten the livelihoods of farmers. He said this would hit farm families in NI badly as they rely heavily on agricultural relief to pass down their farms to future generations. “APR is a lifeline for family farms. Any changes to it would be tantamount to introducing a tax on family farms,” he said.
The UFU is calling for a renewed, multi-year agricultural budget. “This is essential to deliver the government’s environmental goals, driving economic growth, and ensuring the sustainability of farm businesses across the UK. A stable budget is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Our farmers need certainty to continue producing high-quality food while contributing to the environmental targets central to the government’s vision for growth and prosperity. With 670,000 people living in rural Northern Ireland, and the agri-food sector the backbone of the local economy, government cannot dismiss the social and economic importance of farmers,” said the UFU president.
