The Ulster Farmers’ Union is urging its members to take immediate action and contact rural Labour MPs, 109 covering rural constituencies, and Labour MPs on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. This call comes in response to a major new report from Westminster’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee, which supports the UFU’s concerns about proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) under Inheritance Tax (IHT) rules.
The EFRA Committee’s cross-party report, published Friday 16 May, calls for a delay in implementing APR and Business Property Relief (BPR) reforms until April 2027. It criticises the UK Government’s lack of consultation and impact assessments, and warns that the current proposals risk devastating family farms and further eroding trust in agricultural policy.
The EFRA Committee’s findings revealed that:
- 70% of farmers felt optimistic about their business prospects before the Autumn Budge, but this dropped to just 12% afterwards.
- 84% reported that the budget, including the proposed inheritance tax changes, had negatively affected their mental health.
- MPs warned that the Government’s approach risks unintended consequences for family farms, tenants and devolved regions, and called for alternative reforms to be properly consulted on.
UFU president William Irvine said the report must act as a wake up call and a rallying cry for farmers to tell their stories directly to decision-makers.
“This is the strongest signal yet that Westminster is starting to listen. The EFRA Committee has rightly recognised that these proposed reforms could destroy viable family farms, damage food security and put enormous pressure on the mental health of our farming community as well as the integrity of the wider farming policy landscape.
“We have been warning about these impacts since last year’s Budget and this report vindicates everything our members have been saying. Now, we must use this moment. The Government may continue to dig in, but if Labour’s rural MPs step up, they could be the gamechanger we need.”
The UFU has already met with over 30 MPs at Westminster and secured widespread support among Northern Ireland’s political parties. However, efforts to engage the Chancellor have so far been ignored, and Labour MPs, despite expressing concern privately, have yet to speak out publicly.
“We are calling on our members to contact a list of 109 Labour MPs who represent rural constituencies and Labour MPs on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. Tell them your story. Show them what’s at stake. This isn’t about party politics, it’s about protecting your family’s legacy, our way of life and the future of farming across the UK,” said Mr Irvine.
Members have received a list of Labour MPs, an email template and guidance on how to personalise their messages. The UFU is encouraging members to act urgently to influence the debate ahead of the Autumn Budget.
“This is not a mass lobbying campaign. It’s a human appeal from one farming family to another. The more personal and heartfelt the stories, the more impossible they are to ignore. We owe it to the generations before and after us to make our voices heard now,” said Mr Irvine.
For help with your message or to speak to a member of the UFU team, please get in touch by calling 028 7776 2996 or email info@ufuhq.com.
