Food security leads Reform's farming push at party conference

Reform UK has pledged to make food security a national priority, favour British farmers in public procurement and protect productive farmland as it unveiled its agricultural plans at the NEC in Birmingham.

The policies were published on the opening day of Reform’s party conference, with the party also promising to cut farm bureaucracy, strengthen supply chains and repeal what it calls the “family farms tax”.

However, the document sets out broad principles rather than a finished manifesto, with detailed proposals due to follow after consultation with farmers, trade bodies and industry experts.

Reform argues that “the first job of government is to make sure the nation can be fed”, placing domestic production and reduced reliance on imports at the centre of its approach.

The party says food security should be explicitly recognised as a UK-wide strategic priority, with agricultural policy aimed at maintaining self-sufficiency in key sectors.

British farmers would also be given greater priority when the public sector buys food.

Reform says domestic producers should become preferred suppliers for government contracts and argues that trade agreements should not allow lower-standard imports to undercut British produce.

The party is also calling for clearer country-of-origin and production-method labelling, including information relating to non-stun slaughter.

Reform says British agriculture is at a crossroads following years of rising costs, increasing regulation and declining profitability.

“Farming is not just another industry,” the document states, highlighting the sector’s role in feeding the country, sustaining rural communities and shaping the countryside.

Protecting productive farmland is another major part of the proposals.

The party says environmental schemes should support rather than replace food production, arguing that the primary role of agricultural land should be producing food rather than accommodating solar panels or wind turbines.

It wants environmental schemes to remain voluntary and practical across different farming systems, from upland livestock businesses to lowland arable farms.

Farm profitability and supply chain fairness also feature prominently.

Reform says it would strengthen enforcement through the Groceries Code Adjudicator and support investment in soil health, water management, infrastructure and agricultural technology.

The party says productivity funding should be accessible to farms of different sizes rather than concentrated among larger businesses.

It has also pledged to simplify farm regulation and inspections, arguing that duplication, administrative complexity and frequent policy changes have increased costs and weakened confidence in long-term investment.

Reform proposes ring-fenced, multi-year funding arrangements intended to give agricultural businesses greater certainty when planning ahead.

Support for younger farmers and farm succession is another of the seven principles outlined in the document.

The party says it would remove barriers facing new entrants, support skills development and seek to make farming a more attractive and financially viable career.

It also reiterated its pledge to repeal what it calls the “family farms tax”, arguing that farms should be able to pass between generations without what the document describes as “punitive taxation”.

The wider rural economy is included in the plans, with Reform highlighting the importance of abattoirs, livestock markets, veterinary services, connectivity and rural enterprise.

“A strong farming sector is essential to the wider resilience of rural Britain,” the document states.

Party leader Nigel Farage used the foreword to criticise both Labour and the Conservatives over their records on agriculture.

He argued that farmers face excessive regulation, pressure from imported produce and unfair prices from purchasers, while also criticising the development of wind and solar projects on productive farmland.

The document does not provide full costings or detailed implementation plans, with Reform saying the next stage will involve engagement with farmers, trade bodies and other industry experts before policies are developed for its general election manifesto.

Reform’s gathering at the NEC in Birmingham comes ahead of the wider autumn party conference season. The Liberal Democrats are due to meet in Brighton from 19 to 22 September, followed by Labour in Liverpool from 27 to 30 September.

The Green Party will hold its conference in Brighton from 2 to 4 October, while the Conservatives will gather in Birmingham from 4 to 7 October.