We all know that farms are under pressure like never before. This government’s inheritance tax change is just the latest in a long line of policy changes and increasing regulation, that threatens to destroy UK farming. Introduced to prevent wealthy landowners avoiding tax, this punitive policy will lead to the collapse of many family farms that have been producing food for generations.

The UK has the highest food standards in the world. Increasing environmental, food safety and workplace regulation are imposed on UK farmers. At the same time our government is encouraging the import of products from overseas with advantageous trade agreements. Many of these products are produced to much lower standards. Some practices carried out overseas, in first-world countries, will shock you.

Increasingly, farmland is being taken out of production for environmental reasons such as rewilding or to generate renewable energy. This is happening at the same time as geopolitical uncertainty is ramping up. This threatens our food security and increases reliance on imports. Paradoxically, food shipped here from around the world is driving up CO2 emissions.

And all this is taking a toll on farmers who have to work twenty-hour days during the lambing season, harvest time and hold down second and third jobs to make enough money to keep their farms afloat. If you have watched Clarkson’s Farm you will have an idea of what we are talking about, but nothing beats getting a first-hand account of what is really going on.

For our meeting in July, we are really pleased to welcome Angela Crane, a farmer in Lancashire. She will explain why farms are facing an existential crisis and why she has reluctantly concluded that she can no longer keep quiet. By the time this meeting takes place, Angela was recently elected as a new councillor for the rural Darwen West Pennine ward. It is interesting to note that in the recent Farmers Weekly sentiment survey, Reform UK is now the main political party for the Farming Community that is turning away from the traditional majority Conservative Party.

Come and join the discussion

We hope you can make it to this important event free event and give Angela a warm welcome. The meeting is taking place at 7:30pm on 28th July in the Welcome Inn, Bury Old Road, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 6TA.  This is a free event.  All are welcome.

See here for location.

Upcoming events

All our future events are advertised here: Upcoming Events.