Country Land and Business Association

Duty was also held for alcohol, including cider and brewing.

Kaz Graham asked Gavin Lane, president of the Country Land and Business Association, how well he felt John Healy's first budget served farming and rural businesses.

we have got obviously extension of the temporary reduction in red diesel so the 3.7 p per liter and the 5p per liter on on main fuel as well um but that stops in july 27 so obviously from an arable farming point of view there's not going to be a huge benefit um because it will probably stop just before harvest starts so you know we've got to be grateful for it but it it hasn't been extended long enough um to perhaps see the major effect of it We've obviously got an increase in national minimum wage that could have an effect to many people's businesses.

And then this 4% increasing income tax on well on properties, rental properties, and particularly for a lot of our members, that's going to be particularly difficult.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw says tax reform would help to boost farm investment and strengthen food security at little cost for Treasury coffers.

Well, the Country Land and Business Association is taking a similar approach.

Here's CLA chief tax advisor Louise Speak.

Well, I think the first ask that we've got is we want the government to have a rule reset, and the main way they can do that is by overturning the inheritance tax changes that came into law in April this year.

That's been devastating for farmers trying to plan to pass on their farms to their children and other family members.

So we're calling on the government to improve the capital allowances to actually encourage farmers and to support farmers with their investments.

And that is important, as I'm sure all our Farmers Weekly podcast listeners would agree.

But how likely is it? Yes, we're hopeful, but what is the CLA doing to get this over the line?

[laughs] Uh, so we've had the latest window of sustainable farming incentive money, um, available open up.

Now, the government were warned by, you know, the likes of the CLA and the NFU, so CLA, um, Country Land and Business Association, uh, NFU, National Farmers Union, and, and lots of other organizations in the industry, that there wasn't going to be enough money available in this window.

Um, so the reason it's been a debacle is, I guess, a number of reasons.

Um, let's start with the first one.

Firefighters were sent to tackle record numbers of wildfires this summer without specialist protective equipment and, in some areas, adequate training.

Research for the Country Land and Business Association found half of fire services had no specialist wildfire PPE.

And a new exhibition all about Mary, Queen of Scots, aims to challenge people who mainly know her through her death.

Mary was executed after being imprisoned for nineteen years.