Reform UK has put food production and the future of British farming at the centre of its latest policy drive.
The party unveiled its agricultural proposals at its conference at the NEC in Birmingham, setting out seven broad principles covering food security, farm profitability, land use, regulation, supply chains, younger farmers and the wider rural economy.
Rather than presenting a fully costed manifesto, Reform has described the document as the starting point for further consultation with farmers, industry organisations and agricultural experts.
At the heart of the proposals is the argument that food production should be treated as a matter of national security.
“The first job of government is to make sure the nation can be fed,” the document states.
Reform wants food security to become an explicit UK-wide strategic priority, with agricultural policy focused on maintaining domestic production in key sectors and reducing dependence on imports.
One of the proposals would give British farmers greater access to public sector food contracts.
Reform says domestic producers should be given preference when government bodies purchase food, while trade deals should not allow imports produced to lower standards to compete unfairly with British produce.
The party is also proposing clearer country-of-origin and production-method labelling, including information about whether non-stun slaughter has been used.
It argues that farming has been placed under growing financial and regulatory pressure, with rising input costs and declining profitability adding to uncertainty across the sector.
“Farming is not just another industry,” the document states, pointing to its role in feeding the population, supporting rural communities and managing the countryside.
Land use is another key element of the proposals.
Reform says agricultural and environmental policies should work alongside food production rather than displacing it.
The party argues that productive agricultural land should primarily be used to grow food, rather than being taken out of production for developments such as solar panels and wind turbines.
Environmental schemes, it says, should remain voluntary and practical enough to work across different types of farm, from upland livestock businesses to lowland arable enterprises.
Reform also wants changes to the way farmers deal with retailers and the wider supply chain.
It says enforcement through the Groceries Code Adjudicator should be strengthened, while investment in soil health, water management, infrastructure and agricultural technology should be supported.
Productivity funding should, according to the party, be accessible to farms of different sizes rather than being concentrated among larger businesses.
The proposals also include a pledge to simplify regulation and inspections.
Reform says duplicated requirements, complex administration and repeated changes in policy have increased costs for farmers while making it harder for businesses to plan long-term investment.
It is proposing ring-fenced, multi-year funding arrangements to provide greater certainty for agricultural businesses.
The future of the farming workforce also features in the plans.
Reform says it wants to remove barriers for new entrants, improve skills development and make farming a more financially attractive career.
The party has also repeated its pledge to scrap the 'family farm tax', arguing that agricultural businesses should be able to pass between generations without what it describes as 'punitive taxation'.
Support for the wider rural economy is also included, with Reform highlighting the importance of abattoirs, livestock markets, veterinary services, connectivity and rural businesses.
“A strong farming sector is essential to the wider resilience of rural Britain,” the document states.
In the foreword to the agricultural document, Reform leader Nigel Farage criticised both Labour and the Conservatives over their approach to farming.
He highlighted what he described as excessive regulation, pressure from imported food and unfair prices paid to farmers, while also raising concerns about renewable energy developments on productive agricultural land.
However, the proposals remain at an early stage.
Reform has not yet published full costings or detailed implementation plans. The party says it will now engage with farmers, trade organisations and industry experts before developing the policies further for its next general election manifesto.
Reform's agricultural announcement came as the party's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord used the conference to set out his own ambitions for Scotland, including scrapping the country's six-band income tax system and increasing employment.
Speaking on the final day of the Birmingham conference, the West Scotland regional MSP said Reform wanted to make Scotland 'wealthy, healthy and the most successful part of the UK'.
He also accused the SNP of having 'run Scotland aground' and called on voters to support Reform 'to make ordinary people's lives better'.
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