As we head into the new year, we can take pride in the resilience UK farming has shown over the past 12 months. I am optimistic that we now have firmer ground to build on and grow in 2026.
It is right to look back and acknowledge that 2025 has been one of the toughest years on record. From impacts caused by global geopolitics and trade deals with the potential to undermine our marketplace, to ongoing price volatility and uncertainty around farming schemes, farmer confidence has reached an all-time low. Add to that the devastating spell of dry weather and drought which wreaked havoc with the summer’s harvest and created ongoing issues for farmers and growers, compounded by the changes to inheritance tax – which has now thankfully been changed.
However, it is at testing times like these when I am most proud of our sector. Proud to see farmers standing together and proud of the work of the NFU to ensure farming’s voice is heard nationally and locally.
How we’ve been working for you
It is sometimes easy to forget that we have seen notable successes, from our campaign to strengthen the law around attacks on livestock, our lobbying work around planning system reforms to an NFU-led amendment on renters’ rights.
We secured concessions on beef access to the US market while US imports were restricted to a limited quota of hormone-free beef, and we successfully secured the re-opening of the SFI application window and a roll-over of Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements after several months of campaigning, benefitting thousands of farmers.
It’s also great to see that many of the government’s priority actions from the recently published farm profitability review reflect the proposals we put forward in our own submission.
“Looking ahead to 2026, UK farming continues to face challenges in an uncertain world, but we now have a stronger foundation to build on and grow.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Our most notable, significant success was of course the changes the government made to the agricultural property relief and business property relief, raising the threshold to £2.5 million. The change has taken 14 months of persistent campaigning by the NFU, its members and allied industries, and thousands of farmers and their families have dug in deep, standing up for what they knew to be right.
We have had hours of calls with Labour backbenchers, particularly those representing rural seats, resulting in a rebellion with nearly 40 abstentions on the vote on Budget Resolution 50. I also had two very constructive meetings with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and dozens of conversations with Defra Secretary of State Emma Reynolds.
I am thankful that common sense has prevailed, the government has listened and there is a huge sense of relief for many farming families across England and Wales.
Unwavering support of the British public
Our education programmes have reached over half a million schoolchildren with our live lessons. Our ‘Farmers for Schools’ programme – where trained farmers and NFU staff visit classrooms to talk about food and farming – has more than doubled in reach in the past year alone. Thank you to all members involved in this programme; it really does make a difference.
2025 was also the year when public support for British farming continued to surge. Our annual Farmer Favourability Survey saw the public again rank farming as the second most respected profession in the UK for the third-year running, behind nursing. This unwavering support from the British public is a source of great strength and ensures that when farming speaks with one voice, those in power listen.
What to expect in 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, UK farming continues to face challenges in an uncertain world, but we now have a stronger foundation to build on and grow.
In the new year, as the government takes forward its five key recommendations from the Farm Profitability Review, we stand ready to work in partnership to deliver our shared ambition: an agriculture sector that is set up to thrive and drive economic growth.
Effective use of tax reliefs, alongside a push for greater energy resilience and a stable policy environment to encourage investor confidence, could all help domestic production thrive.
Leading the charge on the big issues impacting you
Reforming supply chain relationships, creating an enabling planning system and addressing high energy costs and standing charges – issues the NFU has consistently raised – will also be vital. Together, these measures can help create a more collaborative and equitable marketplace, enabling our farmers and growers to invest in their businesses and drive profitability and growth in the long-term.
We will also continue to lead the charge in the new year on the other big issues impacting our members. These include trade and border security, farm safety, rural crime, avian influenza vaccination schemes, flexibility within the Seasonal Workers Scheme, the public procurement of more sustainable British food, stopping the worst aspects of trade deals, protecting tenant farming rights and securing the future of uplands farmers and protecting the iconic landscapes they manage.
To NFU members, your unwavering support has helped to deliver the successes we have seen in 2025.
As we move into 2026, a united voice can help deliver a dynamic, resilient domestic food system for 70 million people across the United Kingdom.
Thank you. Together, we are stronger.
