Farmers to work with Durham County Council on plan to drive rural growth
Durham Farmers and the county council met to formulate a plan to drive rural growth, support farm businesses and allied trade.
NFU members talked to Durham County Council during a farm visit to discuss food production challenges and the proposed changes to government policies and how these will affect family farms and what support the authority can offer.
The meeting, attended by NFU members and 20 councillors, was held at Ox Close Farm at Shadworth, Durham, as part of the NFU’s ongoing lobbying work with all political parties.
Durham County Council unanimously voted in support of county farmers and the NFU’s Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign at a council meeting held in March. The motion saw all 95 councillors from all political parties stand up for local farmers and raise concerns over the future of the industry.
NFU North Riding and Durham County Chair Clare Wise said: “It was good to have councillors out on farm so they could chat to our members and understand the challenges we are facing.
“We discussed having a food and farming plan for the county which was pleasing to hear and their support to encourage people to buy local, support planning policies and rural growth by working together.
“This will support family farms, and all businesses connected to agriculture and food production.
“The proposed changes to Inheritance Tax were also discussed as these will have a devastating impact on so many family farms in Durham.”
The government plans to reform Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief from April 2026.
The NFU argues that the government has seriously miscalculated the impact of its plans.
The Treasury claims that 27% of farmers will be affected by the tax changes, but
further analysis from former Treasury and Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) economists, reveal that 75% of commercial family farms will be hit.
The OBR has said the changes leave elderly farmers horribly exposed, with no time to manage their way through the new policy and this has also been highlighted by a cross-party committee of MPs.
The NFU has put forward an alternative clawback proposal, which meets the government’s money-raising objectives while avoiding tearing apart family farms and protecting elderly farmers.
The clawback proposal allows 100% relief on qualifying assets, but charges inheritance tax on all those assets if subsequently sold by the beneficiary within a suggested timeframe of seven years.
Other issues discussed at the meeting included proposed concerns over the future of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the government’s flagship support scheme for environmentally friendly farming, impacts of the weather and trade deals.
NFU North Riding and Durham County Adviser Laurie Norris said: “This was a very productive meeting, with a good turnout of NFU members who took the opportunity to discuss their concerns.
“I was pleased that we were able to discuss a food and farming plan for the county as farming and food production is vitally important to our local economy, jobs, communities and the countryside which we all enjoyed.
“The NFU works with politicians from all parties in order to keep farming firmly on the political agenda, locally and nationally, and strives to deliver a positive future for British farmers and growers including those in and around North Riding and Durham.”