With NFU Cymru President Aled Jones being in London and so much happening in the sector, I was keen to ensure that the best possible use was made of the lobbying opportunity that the reception presented. So I set up a series of meetings with a dozen Welsh MPs and managed to speak to them about a number of issues.
First and foremost were the proposed inheritance tax (IHT) changes due to take effect from April 2026, but we also covered Bluetongue and the implications for cross-border movements, as well as rural crime.
We are really grateful to all those MPs who met with us and listened to our case and concerns about the proposed IHT changes and hope now that they can take these messages to government.
Lobbying work intensifies
Since the UK Government’s announcement on IHT in last Autumn’s budget, NFU Cymru has worked tirelessly engaging and lobbying MPs and explaining to them why we consider these policy proposals to be so damaging to the sector.
That work continues and is set to intensify throughout the summer months and into the back end of 2025 as we look to maintain the pressure on the UK Government to revisit this policy ahead of the Autumn statement.
Send a letter to your MP
At this year’s summer shows we will also have staff on hand on our stands to assist members with preparing letters to go to their MP setting out in more detail the implications of the proposed changes for their own farm businesses.
Back in Cardiff Bay we have some on-going work with Senedd committees, with NFU Cymru feeding into two current workstreams. Firstly, we have the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs (ETRA) Committee conducting an inquiry into food processing in Wales whilst the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee is looking at the Environment Bill which was published in draft in May.
We will be providing written and oral evidence to these committees over the course of the next few weeks and months.
