Liberal Democrat MP, Caroline Voaden, is calling on the Government to stop neglecting Britain’s farmers and take urgent action to safeguard the future of our rural communities, as MPs celebrate the NFU’s Back British Farming Day.

The party is demanding a full package of support including scrapping the unfair Family Farm Tax, restoring Defra funding for Young Farmers’ Clubs, and introducing mandatory country-of-origin labelling on all beef products, including in large shops and large restaurants.

It comes on ‘Back British Farming Day’, after the Government signed off on 13,000 tonnes of tariff-free US beef imports with President Trump, threatening to undercut British producers with cheaper and lower-standard beef imports. At the same time, the Government has axed long-standing Defra funding for the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC), which has supported over 23,000 young people for more than 30 years. The Liberal Democrats have pledged to continue fighting for a £1 billion boost to the farming budget and fairer treatment for family farms across the UK.

Caroline Voaden MP said: “I hope the government spends “Back British Farming Day” reflecting on the harm they’ve inflicted upon the industry in the past year. From unfair taxes to slashing Defra support, ministers are making it harder for farms to survive. Nearly half of South Devon farmers face a £300k inheritance bill, thanks to this government’s family farm tax. In an industry where money is often tight, how can the government expect family farms as we know them to survive? After years of neglect from the Conservatives, our farmers deserve better. I am committed to standing up for them.”

The 13,000 tonne agreement quota with the US equates to about 5.5% of the total beef imported annually into the UK, compared to 76% which comes from the Republic of Ireland. Most fresh beef is supplied through domestic farming.