British Farmers Warn 2025 May Decide the Fate of the Nation’s Food System

Image Credit: Joel Davies

This week, farmers, landworkers, and NGOs are issuing an urgent call to the UK Government: to enshrine a 'right to food' in law and strengthen its nature-friendly farming policies. The stakes couldn't be higher with a UK-USA trade deal looming—one that could flood the market with low-cost imports produced under lax environmental standards. More than 20 NGOs, including the Real Farming Trust, Landworkers’ Alliance, and Pesticide Action Network UK, are rallying behind this cause. Together, they’re mobilizing farmers and food system workers to advocate for a sweeping overhaul of the UK’s food and farming infrastructure.

While the recent protests in Westminster have focused on halting the planned hike in inheritance tax on agricultural assets exceeding £1m—largely championed by larger farms—organizers stress that a broader vision is needed. This vision must address the full range of challenges threatening the sustainability of food production, not just the interests of big estates.

Smaller farms are grappling with various obstacles, including competing with supermarket pricing, skyrocketing input costs, unpredictable climate impacts, and struggling to attract and retain skilled labor, particularly migrant workers. The situation calls for systemic change. It’s about more than tax policy; it’s about safeguarding the future of food security in the UK.

Rally spokesperson Jyoti Fernandes, a small-scale farmer based in Dorset, said: “We can’t let figures like Jeremy Clarkson and Nigel Farage divert us from protecting our domestic food security and demanding the right policies to guarantee healthy, affordable, sustainable food for everyone. For now and for future generations. This is what we mean when we say we are marching for the right to food.”

The demands are precise. The coalition is calling for the UK Government to:

1. Enshrine a ‘right to food’ in legislation, ensuring that access to food is a fundamental right for all.

2. Implement a revised National Food Strategy for England that incorporates expert recommendations from the previous version, which were previously sidelined.

3. Enhance the nature-friendly farming budget to ensure a coordinated, cross-national approach to sustainable agriculture.

4. Introduce an interim support scheme for small farms following the sudden closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, which left many without financial backing.

5. Implement substantial measures to enhance land access for new entrants, accompanied by clear training and support programs to facilitate a smooth transition into farming.

6. Ensure fair, secure incomes for farmers and workers across the agricultural sector.

The rally is taking place just as Chancellor Rachel Reeves returns from Washington, where she’s been negotiating a UK-USA trade deal. While the agreement could relieve the UK from some of the burdens imposed by Trump’s tariff regime, it also raises concerns. American food standards are less stringent than those in the UK, particularly regarding animal welfare, pesticide residues, and novel ingredients. The US has been rolling back regulations that once encouraged farmers to meet higher environmental standards, and many fear this shift will lower the bar for food imports into the UK.

Moreover, the UK is nearing the final stages of a free trade agreement with India, adding more pressure to the nation’s food policy landscape.

UK Environment Secretary Steve Reed assured farmers in February that new protections for British agriculture would be introduced in international trade deals. However, the full details of these protections remain unclear.

The rally's timing also coincides with pivotal updates to UK farming policy. This week, consultations on a new Land Use Framework for England close, with the framework set to shape the country’s approach to land management. Policymakers are trying to balance competing demands for land from agriculture, housing, energy, and nature restoration. Alongside this, the UK Government is working on an updated National Food Strategy and a 25-Year Roadmap for Farming—both critical pieces of the puzzle as the nation seeks to secure a sustainable and fair future for its food system.