The government's proposed changes to inheritance tax for farms have come under fire from the US Agriculture Secretary, who warned it could threaten food security.
Brooke Rollins told GB News that she was '100 per cent' concerned about Labour's move to include farms in the inheritance tax system.
The secretary, who is currently on an official trade delegation visit in the UK, labelled the reforms as 'a problem'.
She suggested to the channel that the move could force the UK to rely on less reliable international partners for food supply.
"I think that anywhere in the world where you're increasing the cost of your input, increasing the cost of taxes, increasing the cost of the land, you're going to start closing your farms.
'You can't have true national security without food security!'
— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 13, 2025
GB News’ Political Editor @ChristopherHope speaks with US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who urges Britain to put its farmers first amid concerns about changes to inheritance tax. pic.twitter.com/GHLt65t4cY
“And at that point you begin to outsource to… other partners in the world that maybe aren't the greatest partners for other reasons," Ms Rollins said.
Delivering a stark warning to the UK government, she stressed that food self-sufficiency is a matter of national interest: “You can't have true national security without food security.”
In the autumn budget last October, the government announced several reforms to agricultural property relief from inheritance tax.
This included a £1m allowance which will apply to the combined value of property that qualifies for 100% APR.
After the £1m allowance has been exhausted, relief would apply at a lower rate of 50% to the combined value of qualifying agricultural and business property.
Since then, there has been growing anger among farmers, many of whom have condemned Labour’s decision to remove the long-standing tax exemptions on agricultural land.
Farm leaders argue the changes threaten the viability of family-run farms already under pressure from rising costs and regulatory burdens.
