Farmers Weekly Podcast Ep 327: Farm tax breaks ahead of Budget

Farm leaders are calling for an urgent rethink of inheritance tax and investment allowances ahead of the Autumn Budget on 28 October.

With farm investment stalling and confidence at a low ebb, the NFU and major supermarket chains are urging the government to introduce tax reforms that could unlock billions of pounds of private investment in UK agriculture.

See also: Inheritance disputes: How to avoid broken promise claims

CLA chief tax adviser Louise Speke explains why changes to inheritance tax and capital allowances could help farmers invest in machinery, buildings and reservoirs – without requiring major government spending.

We visit Lincolnshire potato grower Alex Godfrey, who explains how drought, soaring fuel costs and increasingly unpredictable weather are making potato production more challenging.

With irrigation and storage requiring substantial investment, growers want greater certainty over water supplies and future contracts.

Meanwhile, McCain’s latest FarmDex report highlights growing concerns about extreme weather, rising costs and government policy.

We also examine the government’s plans to encourage organic farming, the newly agreed sugar beet price for 2027-28 and the latest livestock, grain and fuel markets.

And Jeremy Clarkson and Cheerful Charlie Ireland make a surprise appearance at the Conservative Party conference, highlighting the financial pressures facing British farmers.

Plus, our autumn drilling update with Bayer Crop Science examines herbicide resistance and how growers can protect the effectiveness of weed control programmes.

This episode is brought to you by Bayer Crop Science – weeding out uncertainty.

Co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom. Edited and produced by Johann Tasker.

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