Stuart Anderson MP has echoed Shadow Farming Secretary Victoria Atkins' declaration of a "food and farming emergency."
Stuart said that the emergency is felt heavily in South Shropshire, which is home to the highest number of farm holdings in any English county.
Addressing a rally at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Monday 6th October, Shadow Farming Secretary Victoria Atkins MP said:
“If this emergency is not dealt with urgently, we will see even more farms, even more agribusinesses, food and drink manufacturers and hospitality businesses closing. We will see workers laid off. We will see tenant farmers evicted. We will see food production tumble and we will see food prices continuing to rise."
Stuart has said that Chancellor Rachel Reeves must use the Autumn Budget on 26th November 2025 to reset relations with rural communities and scrap the Family Farms Tax, which is due to take effect in April 2026.
Stuart's call comes as food and drink inflation is due to hit 5.7% by December 2025. Inflation in beef and lamb has already reached an all-time high, with increases also reported in the price of milk, cheese, and eggs.
The Food and Drink Federation singled out the "financial burden of government policies", which includes April's hike in employer's National Insurance Contributions.
Stuart has also criticised the government for missing its deadline to publish a review of farming productivity. It was due to have been delivered on 7th October 2025.
At the same time, Stuart has secured a government climbdown over its plans to close a flagship scheme that has supported thousands of farmers across the country.
The Countryside Stewardship (CS) Scheme has provided financial incentives for farmers, foresters, and land managers to look after and improve the environment.
In September, the National Farmers' Union had warned that farmers face a 'financial cliff-edge' as 5,830 Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreements will end in December if they are not renewed.
Following the revelation, Stuart urged Farming Secretary Emma Reynolds MP to continue the agreements, which are designed to restore, protect, and enhance the environment.
At the time, Stuart said:
"Thousands of farmers face a financial cliff-edge as countryside stewardship agreements expire in December. This uncertainty undermines national food security, which is needed to keep the nation healthy and well-fed. Ministers should continue the agreements for another year and publish details on the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive offer that was promised as soon as possible."
Stuart's letter followed the closure of a raft of farming support schemes that had been set up by the previous Conservative government.
Following Stuart's intervention, the government announced an extension to the Scheme. Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle confirmed a "targeted, time-limited extension... to ensure farmers have the support they need."
In a Written Ministerial Statement on 15th October 2025, the Minister added that the one-off investment of up to £70 million will support more than 5,000 farmers.
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will write to eligible farmers with details about their extension offer. Their letter will contain details of how they accept their extension and the deadline they need to meet for it to be processed.
Stuart has also added details of the extension to his centralised support portal, which he launched in March 2024 to help local farmers quickly and easily find help that is available to them.
The extension will move the end date of the agreements to 31st December 2026. In the meantime, Stuart has urged the government to publish details on its reforms to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).
The SFI scheme is one of the farming support schemes that closed to new applications earlier in the year, which Stuart has said exacerbates problems caused by the Family Farms Tax.
According to the Business Register, South Shropshire is home to 1,605 businesses in the agricultrual sector. This accounts for 27.4% of businesses in the constituency.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"Farming is a fundamental part of life in South Shropshire and an immense source of local pride. However, the voice of farmers and rural communities is danger of being lost in the national conversation. I am dedicated to changing this for the better and fighting for the funding and support that will give our farmers and local communities the confidence they need to succeed. After months of uncertainty, I am pleased that the government has agreed to extend agreements made as part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Thousands of farmers would have faced a financial cliff-edge this Christmas without the extension. However, farmer confidence remains at its lowest-ever level. So, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves must use the Autumn Budget on 26th November 2025 to reset relations with rural communities and scrap the Family Farms Tax, which is due to take effect in April 2026. Ministers must also urgently set out details of further support, including the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive."
