Overview

• US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins condemned Labour's inheritance tax reforms, warning they could lead to farm closures and outsourcing of the UK's food supply.
• The policy, effective April 2026, imposes a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural assets exceeding £1 million, removing longstanding reliefs for family farms.
• Rollins linked food security to national security, urging the UK to prioritize domestic agriculture and avoid dependence on less reliable trade partners.
• The National Farmers Union cautiously welcomed increased US market access for UK beef but raised concerns about bioethanol imports under the recent US-UK trade deal.
• Farmers continue protests in Westminster, while Labour ministers defend the tax as fair and interest-free over ten years, amid polarized public opinion and political backlash.