NFU condemns Autumn Budget as missed opportunity for farmers

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 4 Nov, 13:20 · Archive

The National Farmers' Union has criticised the Autumn Budget for offering little support to Cambridgeshire family farms.

The National Farmers' Union has criticised Chancellor John Healey's Autumn Budget as a 'missed opportunity' to support family farms in Cambridgeshire. Farmers and industry leaders said the plans offered little to boost business confidence or address the needs of food producers.

Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, said the Budget failed to act on commitments made over the summer and left 'farmers and growers feeling abandoned'. He argued the government had missed the opportunity to link domestic food production to the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast of significantly higher food-price inflation, and failed to deliver on its commitment that 'food security is national security'.

The government announced the removal of tariffs on certain foods and fertilisers to reduce costs. However, the NFU said most fertiliser already arrives in the UK without tariffs, and savings would depend on whether benefits are passed down the supply chain. Alison Morris, chair of the NFU Cambridgeshire, said the Budget 'has done nothing to help our farmers' and urged the government to provide support from the Keep Britain Growing Loan so farmers could afford to harvest remaining crops and plant next year's crops.

How it is being reported

• NFU calls Autumn Budget a ‘missed opportunity’ for Cambridgeshire family farmsThe Chancellor’s Autumn Budget has been criticised as a “missed opportunity” to support family farms in Cambridgeshire.Cambs Times · 4 Nov, 12:42
• NFU calls Autumn Budget a ‘missed opportunity’ for Cambridgeshire family farmsThe Chancellor’s Autumn Budget has been criticised as a “missed opportunity” to support family farms in Cambridgeshire.Ely Standard · 4 Nov, 12:42

In this story: National Farmers' Union · Tom Bradshaw · John Healey · Alison Morris · Cambridgeshire · Office for Budget Responsibility

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