As the UK Government prepares to unveil its autumn budget on November 26, many in the agricultural community will be watching closely. It marks a year since the inheritance tax (IHT) reform proposals first shook farming, creating uncertainty around how generational succession would be treated in the years ahead. Those proposals- which risk undermining long standing reliefs that help family farms pass from one generation to the next- sent shockwaves through our sector.

Twelve months on, the issue remains as pressing as ever. The potential for IHT changes continues to hang over farming businesses, threatening both financial stability and the principle of sustainable family succession that underpins rural Wales. NFU Cymru has worked tirelessly to ensure that those in Westminster understand what's at stake- not only for farmers, but for the rural economy, communities and the countryside we all value.

Last week, NFU Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader and I travelled to London to meet a number of MPs to discuss the devastating impact this policy will have on Welsh farming families. The meetings were vital in reinforcing the message that the current system is not a loophole – it’s a cornerstone of continuity for family farms.

It was encouraging, then, to see this vital issue reach a wider audience recently. NFU Cymru Crops Board Chair Tom Rees and his family from Pembrokeshire, featured on BBC Countryfile, helping explain to millions of viewers how proposed IHT changes could affect family farms like theirs. Their openness and honesty about a potentially devasting situation, brought a complex policy debate to life in a way no briefing paper ever could- showing the real the very real people behind the headlines. Dai Charles Evans and his family also shared their story on S4Cs Ffermio, shining a light on the same issue. Their willingness to speak out demonstrates that, across our union, members remain determined to defend the principles of fairness and continuity that IHT reliefs represent.

As the chancellor prepares his red box, NFU Cymru will continue to make sure farming's voice is heard- reminding government that behind every tax policy are families whose livelihoods depend on getting this right.