After one of the toughest years the industry has faced, British agriculture will enter 2026 with renewed confidence and stronger foundations for recovery, according to NFU chairman Tom Bradshaw.
Reflecting on the past 12 months, Bradshaw said the industry has been tested by a convergence of global and domestic pressures, but believes the progress achieved during 2025 has laid a stronger foundation for next year.
“As we enter the new year, we can be proud of the resilience British agriculture has shown over the past 12 months,” he said, adding: “We are optimistic that we can build on even stronger foundations and grow in 2026.”
He said 2025 was one of the toughest years on record, characterized by geopolitical instability, trade deals with the potential to undermine the UK market, volatile prices and continued uncertainty around farming plans.
He said confidence among farmers was at an “all-time low”, exacerbated by drought conditions that damaged crops and left producers with lasting challenges. Inheritance tax changes also weighed heavily on the sector, but he said these had “thankfully now changed”.
Despite these pressures, Bradshaw said the past year has shown farmers the value of coming together and the impact of a united voice. He highlighted a range of policy outcomes secured through the NFU campaign, including stronger legislation against livestock attacks, reform of the planning system and advances in tenant rights.
He also pointed to trade and institutional wins, including concessions on beef access to the U.S. market, the reopening of the Sustainable Agriculture Incentive application window, and the rollover of the Countryside Stewardship Intermediate Agreement, which he said have restored certainty to thousands of farms. He added that many of the Government’s priorities in the Farm Profitability Review reflected the proposals put forward by the NFU.
Mr Bradshaw said the most significant achievement this year was the Government’s decision to amend the agricultural and business property relief thresholds to increase to £2.5m after “14 months of persistent campaigning”. He said continued engagement with politicians, including talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds, along with pressure from local MPs, had helped secure change.
“I’m grateful that common sense has prevailed and the government has listened, which is a huge relief to many farmers in England and Wales,” he said.
Beyond policy, he highlighted NFU’s educational work, which provides education to more than 500,000 children through live lessons and classroom visits. The Farmers for Schools program has more than doubled its reach over the past year, helping to improve young people’s understanding of food production and agriculture.
He said public support for farming also remained strong, with the NFU’s Farmer Favorability Survey once again ranking farming as the second most respected profession in the UK after nursing. He said support would strengthen the sector’s leadership when engaging with decision-makers.
Looking ahead, Mr Bradshaw stressed that while agriculture continues to face challenges in an uncertain world, achieving 2026 is critical. He said effective use of tax breaks, improving energy resilience, supply chain reform, more effective planning systems and tackling high energy costs are all essential to improving profitability and encouraging investment.
He added that the NFU will continue to press the Government on issues such as trade and border security, rural crime, farm safety, avian influenza vaccination, seasonal work flexibility, public procurement of food in the UK, sharecropping rights and the future of field farming.
Mr Bradshaw concluded his message by saying the sector’s impact depends on maintaining unity over the coming year. “Together, we can deliver a dynamic and resilient national food system for 70 million people across the UK by 2026,” he said. “Together, we are stronger.”
