Dumfriesshire Conservatives held an emergency farming summit with Shadow Farming Minister Robbie Moore MP, on a farm outside Dumfries on Friday 12th December 2025, hosted by kind permission of fourth generation farmer, Councillor Graham Bell and family.
The stakes are high for the British countryside. Local farmers with experience of policy formation problems, accepted an invitation by Cllr Bell and John Cooper MP, to meet the Shadow Minister along with South Scotland MSP and Dumfriesshire candidate Craig Hoy, to make the case for better policies, directly to His Majesty’s opposition. Mr Moore previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DEFRA, and thoroughly impressed the group with his sincere approach to future policy. The group appreciated hearing his candid and direct insight into the machinery of His Majesty’s Government, from his time as a Minister.
Dumfries and Galloway Member of Parliament, John Cooper MP commented;
It is vital that, as we use our time in opposition to shape policy, we hear from those on the front line. The Bell family generously hosted a group of key farming figures who were able to feed in to the Shadow Farming Minster, Robbie Moore MP. He was keen also to share his thoughts on how we secure British food, and support farming.
The twin threats of Labour’s ideologically driven, illogical farmer death tax, and the SNP’s lack of recognisably improved farming policy, despite devolution permitting change, preferring eNGO positions, and despite EU Exit occurring six years ago, have resulted in a perfect political storm impacting national food security. Supply is reducing, whilst global demand is rising, resulting in food price inflation hitting the pockets of tax paying, working families.
NATIONAL SECURITY INCLUDES FOOD SECURITY
Local farmer and former NFU Scotland President Mr Andrew McCornick, who sat on the Trade and Agriculture Commission during our previous term in Government, commented;
Our industry seems to be in the crosshairs of the current Labour Government. We are making a strong case to everyone with influence, to reverse or at least diminish the damage being done to the rural economy, and our ability to provide food security, growth, and jobs along the supply chain and food chain, beyond our farm gates. Today’s meeting with the Shadow DEFRA Minister was a positive step in that direction.
Association Chairman and local farmer, Mr William Moses, reflected;
Scottish policy formation is suffering from a complicity of lobbyists with questionable position forming processes, who indistinctly attempt reduced public support for farming whilst enabling structures to compel more “public goods”, who at several junctures dismiss accurately explained, a-political warnings of the power-grab impact technical procedures within framework legislation will have on not only policy, but the function of democracy itself, and who cynically object to budgeting methodologies, regardless when based on simple analysis of easily understandable, real terms economic principles, raise repeated credibility concerns.
The Bell family have farmed Cormaddie since it was bought in 1922, and Graham is now the fourth generation. Originally a dairy farm also growing potatoes and raising sheep, additional land has been bought over the years by hard graft and retained, earned income. Over the course of a century, the family have bought and acquired land now totalling 1,200 acres, through thick and thin, which is a remarkable and quite rare multi-generational achievement, deserving the respect of all colours of politician.
Dairying stopped in 1998, when the business evolved to become an arable and beef cattle farm. In 2001 significant reinvestment was made - the old dairy complex was demolished and replaced by a 2,000 tonne grain store along with modern cattle sheds, able to accommodate larger, modern machinery for the 21st century. The farm now has just under 300 beef suckler cows, with progeny fed home grown cereals and sold as forward stores. The arable rotation comprises winter wheat and barley, spring barley, oilseed rape and beans. Additionally, the farm winter grazes up to 700 sheep. All work is undertaken by Graham and two full time employees, as well as Graham’s father Tom, who despite being in his 80’s, still works part time on the farm.
Mr Bell Senior, pictured below speaking to Mr Moore, is very concerned about the burden Labour have created for his family, without having consulted the industry. He commented to ITV News who reported on the summit,
It’s always been a hard job working on the farm, trying to improve the farm, reinvest into buildings and into the cattle, but now it will be even harder in the future, because of this massive new tax burden.
In the current era of growing global instability, and rising food insecurity, farming for the production of food, whilst incentivising environmental protections from a much improved, farmer-oriented public-money-for-public-goods format, must not come at the cost of conflicting with the core business of food production. Both can go hand-in-hand, but only the fiscal strength and authority of UK legal mechanisms, can offer better policy, fit for every corner of the country.
The summit was honoured to host universally respected retired MSP for Ayr, and former deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Mr John Scott OBE, who offered his depth of experience of both farming and politics. Mr Scott summarised;
Great to welcome Robbie Moore MP to Dumfries for him to learn first hand of the concerns of our farmers and rural communities. His understanding, knowledge and grasp of the problems facing food production, of maintaining food security, and of meeting climate change targets, all compounded by Inheritance Tax threats, made our meeting with him very worthwhile. My thanks go to Cllr Graham Bell and family for making us all so welcome.
Attendees to the summit were at pains to express their equal concern on behalf of all types of family-owned business beyond farming, with regard to Labour’s change to Business Property Relief also. We are committed to protecting all family-owned businesses in our nation of shopkeepers. Upon re-election, we will immediately reverse these economically damaging, needless changes.
CONSERVATIVES PROTECT FAMILY BUSINESS
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