Spending review: Reeves has put farmers “at the back of the Treasury queue”

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

Responding to the cuts to the farming budget, Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, said:

"I’m more than disappointed to see the Government once again put farmers and rural communities at the back of the Treasury queue.

“With the Chancellor barely paying lip service to farmers in her statement to Parliament today, it's clear the farming industry has been relegated in Reeves' list of sectors to rescue. All this on top of the Government’s shameful family farm tax that’s ringing the death knell for farming communities across the country.

"Reeves’ move today is just wrong. Our farmers need more investment, not less - including a cast-iron guarantee to maintain the nature-friendly farming funds rather than the cuts the Chancellor has introduced today.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor: 

The Chancellor announced a real terms cut for the DEFRA budget; £2.7bn from 2026-27 until 2028-29. Of this sum, £400m has been allocated for nature schemes (TBA) and £2.3bn for farming - a £100m cut. Of the £2.3bn farming budget, £2bn is for ELMS and the remaining £300m is yet to be allocated. Please see table 5.23 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document/spending-review-2025-html).