Union unveils plans for rallies at Westminster and Holyrood following UK Government budget that threatens food production, family farming businesses and the environment.
NFU Scotland has confirmed it will be sending its Presidential team and Board of Directors to Westminster to join the other UK farming unions to raise their concerns about the devastating reform of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) that was announced in last week’s budget. The lobbying event, being organised by NFU, will take place on Tuesday 19 November.
The Union has also confirmed that it is organising a rally outside Holyrood for 28 November ahead of the Scottish Government’s budget on 4 December to which all members are invited to join.
NFU Scotland’s President Martin Kennedy is calling on all members and the wider agricultural industry to support these events.
The Union is urging all members and everyone who wishes to, to write to their local MPs to call for an overturn of the APR and BPR decisions as well as signing the NFU petition. To help with this we have created a letter template for individuals to use which is available from the newly created Budget Information Hub on our website www.nfus.org.uk The Hub is also where people can gain access to the NFU petition.
Martin Kennedy, NFU Scotland President and Highland Perthshire farmer, called for support saying; “The UK Government has delivered a budget that threatens food production, family farm businesses and the environment. They promised they would not put these at risk and they have done the complete opposite by imposing impossible tax burdens on family farms. They have also effectively washed their hands of a funding ring-fenced safety net that’s been in place for over 50 years when passing the budget in a lump sum to Scottish Government.
“For a Government that has said in the past ‘food security is national security’ it has demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of how food is produced and by whom. Our members and others across the sector and wider society feel rightly betrayed.
“We will be sending a delegation from NFU Scotland to lobby MPs at Westminster on 19 November. We will be asking to meet all Scottish MPs to deliver a direct message to them about the unintended consequences and call for an overturn of the budget decisions.
“On Thursday 28 November we are organising a rally to which we want all our members to attend to send a clear message to the Scottish Parliament and Government about the importance of securing future, multi-annual, ring-fenced funding for Scottish agriculture. Our rally will highlight all that farmers and crofters deliver, including high-quality food production, climate and nature restoration, and thriving rural communities.
“The Scottish Government and Parliament now have a real opportunity to demonstrate that they do understand and will fully support a thriving Scottish agriculture sector.
“Let us be under no illusions this is a monumental time for Scottish agriculture and we must rally and deliver for all impacted by these reckless decisions being taken by those who do not realise the full consequences of their actions.”
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Contact Diana McGowan on 07920 018619