The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has urged the UK chancellor to make food security a central priority of the Autumn Budget on 30 October, warning that rising costs, disease, drought and global instability have left farm businesses vulnerable, Farmers Weekly reports.

"The government has recognised that food security is national security. We now need the economic policies and investment to back that up," said NFU president Tom Bradshaw, pointing to rising production costs, the worst drought in 50 years and the largest bluetongue outbreak on record. "No sector has been left unscathed, confidence is low and investment has suffered."

The union's submission to HM Treasury sets out five demands: raise the annual investment allowance to at least £5m to unlock productivity and water investments; introduce temporary interest-free "Keep Britain Growing Loans" for businesses hit by this summer's crises; ensure the coming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism does not favour imports, particularly through higher fertiliser costs; reverse the changes to agricultural and business property relief from inheritance tax; and offer enhanced capital allowances for low-carbon technology.

The NFU says 29 million UK households depend on secure, affordable food and that food and drink, Britain's largest manufacturing sector, is worth £162.3bn and supports 4.1 million jobs.

The Farmers' Union of Wales has also pressed its case with Plaid Cymru's Ann Davies MP, calling for full inheritance tax relief on farm assets passed between generations, tax incentives for landlords who offer longer tenancies to new entrants, and a UK emergency fund for crises such as bluetongue, wildfires and fodder shortages.

Photo: Roger Jones / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Source: Farmers Weekly