Urgent Message from Farmers : “We Can’t Afford to Feed You Anymore!”
William Taylor, Farmers For Action Chairman NI, has lambasted the government for its record in supporting the farming community.
He said: “In recent days our incapable Westminster government, on the one hand, taxing businesses / farmers and working people to death, literally, and on the other hand pleading with supermarkets to cap food prices because supposedly people can’t afford to eat!
“For decades responsible farm organisations from across these islands including Farmers For Action have been warning that farmers can’t afford to feed the people anymore – the news is we have arrived at this point.
“For example, we have potato farmers unable to sell remaining stocks of last season potatoes with many considering them going for stock feed and the price possibly as low as £100 per tonne for those that are being sold, in the previous 3 years this would have been £500 per tonne, which is the minimum needed to grow potatoes.”
William added: “In addition, we had a Kent farmer who had to dump 300 tonnes of raspberries because he was unable to sell them within the UK nor export them due to Brexit red tape – all of this indicates a completely broken food chain leaving farmers with boom and bust scenarios, which have proven to be the death of many farms.
“In the last 30 years almost 50,000 farmers have gone out of business across the UK, today we are left with 209,000 working farms across the UK and the rate of closure is increasing to approximately 5,000 per year which is 2.5% per annum.
“Today, should the ships stop sailing to the UK it could only feed 48% of you, at the current rate of decline acceleration, this figure will reduce to 36% in less than 20 years. Food security is declining.
“The UK’s food supply is in trouble, big time! With would-be young farmers unable to justify getting involved due to lack of income. Fortunately, Farmers For Action are privileged to be supported by many other farm organisations across these islands in trying to make the current Westminster Government and other political parties see the logic of a UK-wide Farm Welfare Bill.
“The idea of farmers being protected by law that they must receive a minimum of the true cost of production inflation-linked plus a margin for their produce along with common sense accelerated climate change import protection – is the only way forward and would not cost Government £1 to implement.
“This Bill is modelled on Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1930’s America which initially didn’t work until he looked after the USA’s farmers. Herein lies the lesson, for Westminster’s politicians. THey should have farmers properly paid for their produce and the UK will flourish because farmers purchase from 123 different suppliers on average and if the Bill were in place it would create 209,000 jobs for starters and three times this down the line.
“With the Bill in place and ramping up over a two year period alongside the UK prospering issues with food affordability will disappear alongside consumer education on sensible food purchases – all of this must begin today as there are no other solutions on offer!”
William said: “Meanwhile, Farmers For Action and other farm organisations have been asking repeatedly for a meeting with the Chancellor since the initial announcement of IHT in November 2024 – to make the case of removing IHT and other recent Labour taxes and put in place a UK-wide Farm Welfare Bill and the UK would flourish.
“To date, this has fallen on deaf ears and is compounded by a recent request to meet with Dame Angela Eagle MP, Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs on the same proposals. Her office replied on 20th May 2026 to say ‘The Minister is unavailable to meet due to diary constraints.’
