NFU describes Budget as a 'missed chance for change' for Nottinghamshire's farms

The NFU has described the recent Budget as a ‘massive missed opportunity to drive meaningful change’ for Nottinghamshire’s family=run farms.

NFU officeholders and farmers, reacting to the Autumn Budget, said it contained little to improve business confidence, investment and growth and left no breathing space for county food production here and across the wider country.

The NFU has said that promoting investment to build resilience is essential if Nottinghamshire is to have a sustainable farming industry that drives the rural economy, protects the countryside and delivers national food security.

Farmer Oliver Collingham, Nottinghamshire NFU chair, said the Budget did very little to back the Government's food security rhetoric with little to support county agricultural and horticultural businesses.

He said: “In an uncertain world, investing in farm businesses is investing in the country's resilience and as farmers we need the confidence to invest, grow and produce more food, helping drive economic growth.

“We are coming off the back of one of the worst droughts on record, sky-high fuel and fertiliser bills due to the Iran conflict and a variety of other issues that have sapped business confidence and put the brakes on investment – despite our best efforts to continue to deliver high-quality food for people’s tables."

He said while the extension to red diesel relief was welcome, the Government had missed a key opportunity to drive meaningful change elsewhere that would have made a real difference to farming families, rural communities, the businesses our farms work alongside and to shoppers.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw added: “This was an opportunity for government to act on the warm words it made over the summer. It has failed to act and has left farmers and growers feeling abandoned.”