South Suffolk Farming Group

On Friday 7th February I held the inaugural meeting of my South Suffolk Farming Group in Semer.

The aim of the meeting was to discuss how we can best support British agriculture moving forward, and the impact of Labour's Family Farm Tax.

Representatives from the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, and the Rural Payments Agency also attended the meeting.

If you are a South Suffolk based farmer and would like to get involved in the group, please contact me on [email protected].

News

South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge criticises Treasury Minister for declining meeting with farmers over inheritance tax changes

Saturday, 30 August, 2025

A Suffolk MP has slammed a Government Minister for declining a meeting with local farmers over controversial incoming tax proposals.South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge accused the Labour Government of ‘a total failure to engage on this existential policy issue’, after his request to meet the Treasury M

James Cartlidge MP concerned over farm closures in Suffolk

Saturday, 2 August, 2025

Record farm closures have stoked "heartbreak" across Suffolk as farmers say they are struggling to make ends meet amid claims of "punitive" government policy.A total of 6,365 agriculture, forestry and fishing businesses have shut down nationally over the past year, according to the Of

My latest SFP column - July 2025

Thursday, 17 July, 2025

Whilst it’s been wonderful to have such sunny weather of late, visiting farms around the constituency it’s clear that persistently lower than average rainfall is adding to the many challenges they already face – especially with farms in nearby Cambridgeshire facing water rationing.

South Suffolk MP urges total rethink on changes to inheritance tax on farming businesses after report warns of potential impact

Sunday, 13 July, 2025

Concerns are building that changes to inheritance tax could ‘suck the life out of British farming’, a Suffolk MP has warned, after a report on their potential impact.The Labour Government is set to introduce reforms to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) from April

My latest EADT column - April 2025

Wednesday, 2 April, 2025

MP James Cartlidge on National Insurance and farmingI’ve set out my concerns about the economy in a number of my EADT columns since the election – but now those worries are coming to a head.Within days, actual pain is going to be visited on our businesses and, therefore, ultimately on everyone else