Don’t bottle up your feelings, says agricultural chaplain

Farmers and farming families worried about the future are being urged to talk to somebody rather than bottle up their feelings.

Suffolk agricultural chaplain Graham Miles says the number of calls he receives from concerned farmers has tripled since the autumn Budget – and a raft of government announcements affecting farming families and businesses.

Challenges include the decision to impose inheritance tax on farming assets worth more than £1 million, the increase in employer National Insurance contributions and the accelerated phase-out of the basic payment scheme.

Finding solutions

In his role, Mr Miles champions mental health and wellbeing in the farming community – and encourages farmers to open up about their concerns. He is backing the NFU’s campaign to overturn the government’s inheritance tax plans.

“I’m getting calls now every day,” said Mr Miles. “Most of them are about the family farm tax and other aspects of the autumn Budget. “It’s a very worrying time for farmers out there.”

Mr Miles, a former livestock farmer who lives in Ipswich, highlighted the case of a farmer who declined cancer treatment months before his death due to the strain of facing an inheritance tax bill.

“Something is seriously wrong when farmers are left feeling this way. Politicians need to fully appreciate the pressures being piled on farmers by some of these new policies and work with the NFU and the farming community to find solutions.”

Alternative plan

The NFU is urging the government to engage with them on its proposal for inheritance tax to only be applied to qualifying assets if they are disposed of within a seven-year period after death – so tax is paid only when the money is available.

This proposal meets the government’s aims of raising revenue – but avoids penalising elderly farmers and breaking up family farms. It also makes it unattractive for wealthy people to buy land so they can use agricultural property relief to avoid tax.

Good to talk

Mr Miles is a qualified Church of England evangelist and unpaid lay minister. He was officially inducted as permanent Bishop’s Agricultural Chaplain for Suffolk by Bishop Martin Sealey in January this year.

Mr Miles added: “My main message to farmers out there who are struggling is that it’s good to talk to someone and not bottle everything up. I am available to talk to 24/7, 365 days a year.

“As a former farmer, I speak their language and I understand the pressures and the challenges. Being outside the family unit helps as well for anyone who feels like they don’t want to overburden their immediate family with their worries.”

To contact Graham, call 07413 683368 or email graham.miles@cofesuffolk.org

Building bridges on Open Farm Sunday visits

Members of the public will visit hundreds of farms this month when Open Farm Sunday gets underway on 8 June.

The industry’s annual flagship initiative provides a fantastic opportunity for farmers to develop deeper connections with the public, says event manager Annabel Shackleton, of the Linking Environment And Farming charity (LEAF).

“Inviting people on farm, no matter how few or how many, is a surefire way to help put public perception of farming on the right track,” says Mrs Shackleton.

“Our farmers produce nutritious food that we can fundamentally trust by maintaining incredibly high standards, all while working hard to farm sustainably and safeguard nature. These important achievements deserve showcasing.”

LEAF-certified dedicate at least 15% of their land to natural habitats that help restore ecosystems and strengthen the resilience of the environment and landscape – as well as producing food.

“By keeping farming front of mind, Open Farm Sunday helps foster lasting trust and appreciation among consumers about the vital role farmers play in producing nutritious and safe food while working in harmony with nature,” adds Ms Shackleton.

“We know we can influence consumer attitudes,” she says. Survey data from last year’s Open Farm Sunday shows that 87% of visitors left with greater trust in British farming, and 91% felt motivated to buy more British produce as a result.