Last week, Sir John Whittingdale met new NFU County Secretary, Hamish Debnam-Sharp, with NFU Branch Chair, Cllr Jane Fleming, at Great Whitmans Farm, Purleigh.

Sir John discussed a number of concerns of farmers, including the reports that Agricultural Property Relief could be abolished. On Wednesday, the Chancellor confirmed this, announcing in the Budget that relief will be reduced from 100% to 50% for combined agricultural and business assets worth over £1 million.

NFU President, Tom Bradshaw, has said: "The shameless breaking of those promises on Agricultural Property Relief will snatch away much of the next generation's ability to carry on producing British food, plan for the future and shepherd the environment. It's clear the government does not understand that family farms are not only small farms, and that just because a farm is a valuable asset it doesn't mean those who work it are wealthy."

Sir John said: "I entirely understand the anger felt by many farmers that the Labour Government has broken their pledge to retain Agricultural Property Relief. This threatens the survival of many family farms and will be hugely damaging to rural communities like ours and to the food security of the country"

Sir John also spoke out against this area of Labour's Budget at a Budget Resolutions Debate on October 31.

He told the house: "The Country Land and Business Association estimates that [the removal of Agricultural Property Relief] will affect 70,000 businesses. Family farms in particular will feel the impact worse.

"This is a measure that the Labour party said it would not introduce, but it has broken that promise and is now proposing to introduce it, with enormous damage not just to farmers but to food security and our environment."

To find out what else Maldon's MP discussed at this debate, click here.

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