British Farming: Securing Our Land, Food and Future

Introduction: Why British Farming Matters More Than Ever

British farming is more than a rural tradition — it’s a matter of national security. Our farmers feed the nation, maintain the countryside, and provide jobs for over 400,000 people. But today, they face an unprecedented storm: rising costs, falling subsidies, unfair foreign imports, and policy decisions that threaten their very survival.

At a time when the UK imports over 40% of its food, and geopolitical risks continue to disrupt global supply chains (see the war in Ukraine), our ability to grow and produce our own food has never been more important.

The Modern Party believes British farming is the backbone of a strong, self-sufficient, and secure United Kingdom. We propose bold reforms to protect our farmers, boost food production, and make the UK a global leader in sustainable agriculture.

How Much Land Does the UK Use for Agriculture?

The UK is a green and fertile land — and the vast majority of it is already used to grow food or rear livestock.

Current Agricultural Land Use (2024):

• 69% of total UK land — approximately 16.8 million hectares — is classified as Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA).

• 6.2 million hectares are used for croppable areas, including cereals, vegetables, oilseeds, potatoes, and horticulture.

• The rest is permanent grassland, rough grazing, and mixed-use pastures for livestock.

Key Sectors by Area:

• Cereals (wheat, barley, oats): ~3 million hectares

• Beef and sheep pastureland: ~8 million hectares

• Dairy and mixed farming: ~2 million hectares

• Horticulture and veg: ~400,000 hectares

Despite this, we are only 60% self-sufficient in food production — not due to land shortage, but poor political choices.

The Modern Party will prioritise agricultural land for domestic food production and oppose rewilding schemes that reduce our farming capacity without improving food security.

APR and Inheritance Tax: Why It Threatens Farming Families

What Is Agricultural Property Relief (APR)?

APR is a form of inheritance tax relief that ensures farmland, buildings, and farm businesses can be passed from one generation to the next without being hit by a 40% tax bill. It recognises the essential public service farmers provide — feeding the nation.

Government's 2026 Changes to APR:

• APR to be capped at £1 million per estate.

• A 20% inheritance tax will apply to any agricultural assets above the cap.

• Farmers may be forced to sell land, machinery or livestock to pay the bill.

Impact:

• Multi-generational farms will be broken up.

• Family-run agriculture will be replaced by foreign landowners or developers.

• Food production will fall, and UK self-sufficiency will decline further.

APR and Inheritance Tax: Why It Threatens Farming Families

The Modern Party's APR Pledge

We will:

• Reverse all 2026 changes to APR.

• Restore 100% inheritance tax relief for all qualifying agricultural property — with no cap.

• Extend eligibility to tenant farmers and long-term leaseholders.

• Introduce a "Farming Continuity Clause" to ensure farms remain in active production post-inheritance.

We will defend family farming and end the punishment of those who feed the country.

UK Food Self-Sufficiency: Why It Must Hit 100% in Beef and Poultry

As of 2024, the UK imports:

• Over 40% of its food by value.

• 40% of poultry meat, mainly from Brazil, Thailand, and the EU.

• 14% of beef, with growing imports from South America and Australia.

This makes the UK vulnerable to supply chain shocks, currency changes, and falling standards.

Self-Sufficiency Breakdown:

Food Type - UK Self-Sufficiency

Beef - 86%

Poultry - 60%

Lamb - 100%

Pork - 90%

Milk - 100%

Fruit - 16%

Vegetables - 54%

How The Modern Party Will Achieve 100% in Beef and Poultry

1. Support British feed production to reduce costs for livestock farmers.

2. Ban low-welfare imports that undercut our producers.

3. Invest in local processing plants to reduce post-slaughter costs.

4. Ensure supermarket contracts favour British producers.

5. Launch a "British Meat First" rule for all public sector food (schools, NHS, military).

6. Provide grants for expanding poultry housing and cattle infrastructure.

We believe a food-independent Britain is a secure Britain.

Reforming UK Farm Subsidies: From Rewilding to Resilience

Following Brexit, the UK replaced the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy with the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMs). While well-intentioned, it’s been criticised for:

• Prioritising rewilding and biodiversity over actual food production.

• Creating a complex, bureaucratic system hard for small farms to access.

• Leaving a funding gap after scrapping the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

Key Problems with the Current System:

• Poorly designed SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive) rules.

• Lack of regional flexibility.

• Penalises productive farms.

The Modern Party’s Subsidy Overhaul

We will:

• Restore a Base Food Production Payment per hectare, tied to output.

• Simplify access for small and mid-size farms.

• Introduce a British Food Security Grant to reward output of key foods: beef, poultry, dairy, cereals, veg.

• Retain sustainability payments — but balance with food resilience goals.

• Penalise land banking and idling productive farmland for speculative carbon credits.

British farmers must be paid to produce food, not just to leave fields empty.

AI and Smart Farming: Innovation for Affordability and Efficiency

AI has the power to revolutionise UK agriculture, cutting costs, boosting yields, and reducing environmental impact.

How AI Will Transform British Farming:

• Precision agriculture: Adjusts fertiliser, pesticide and irrigation at square-metre scale.

• Disease prediction: Analyses drone and satellite data to forecast disease outbreaks early.

• Automated machinery: Reduces labour costs for planting, weeding, harvesting.

• Smart livestock sensors: Detect animal health issues in real-time.

• Market prediction tools: Help farmers optimise sales, reduce waste.

The Modern Party’s Smart Farming Strategy

1. Establish a UK Agri-AI Innovation Fund.

2. Provide capital grants for AI equipment (drones, soil sensors, robotic milkers).

3. Launch a National Agricultural Data Cloud to share weather, soil, and disease alerts.

4. Train 20,000 young Britons in AgriTech, drone operation, and data science.

5. Ensure 100% broadband and 5G coverage in rural areas.

We will build a digital farming economy — powered by AI, led by Britain.

The Modern Party’s 10-Point Farming Plan

1. Reverse APR changes and protect inheritance rights for farmers.

2. Reach 100% self-sufficiency in beef and poultry by 2030.

3. Reform subsidies to reward food production and sustainability equally.

4. Ban foreign land ownership and prevent farmland speculation.

5. Launch a Buy British First rule in all government contracts.

6. Introduce AI-powered Smart Farm Grants nationwide.

7. Fund rural logistics and local abattoirs to shorten the supply chain.

8. Promote seasonal eating and British-grown veg via national campaigns.

9. Create a Food Resilience Taskforce to monitor security and prices.

10. Train and recruit 10,000 new farmers, focusing on under-35s, ex-offenders and veterans.

Conclusion: British Farming Is the Future

Britain cannot afford to neglect its own food production any longer.

Farming is not a hobby or a heritage brand. It is a critical industry, just like defence, energy, or infrastructure. Without secure, home-grown food, we are at the mercy of foreign markets, unreliable partners, and fragile supply chains.

The Modern Party stands with British farmers. We will protect their land, fix their tax burden, fund innovation, and restore our national food independence.

Our vision is simple:

A greener, smarter, more resilient Britain — where every meal supports a British farm, not a foreign conglomerate.