Next wheat strike could see supplies get ‘very tight very quickly’
23rd April 2025
Olly Harrison said the April wheat strike is now concluded and no contracts were broken – but further strikes are possible in future with support from Europe.
Farmers announced a wheat strike on 1st April, which saw milling wheat withheld in protest against government policies including inheritance tax changes and the closure of the Sustainable Farmer Incentive.
Olly Harrison, one of the organisers of the strike as well as other recent protests, told Farmers Guide the strike continued for around three weeks and attracted support from farmers in Germany, as well as being widely supported by farmers in the UK.
The Merseyside arable farmer posted on X today (23rd April) to say that lots of data was gathered during the strike and next time, with support offered across Europe, supplies could get ‘very tight very quickly’.
During the strike, the Efra Committee grilled minister Daniel Zeichner on food security, with Efra chair Alistair Carmichael asking how it feels to be the food minister who took hot cross buns off the table.
Mr Carmichael said: “These farmers are talking about taking a massive hit – do you think they’re just doing this on a whim or to make a political point?”
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Commenting on government and public attitudes to a pause in the planned changes to inheritance tax, Olly said: “There is a split in the bark but we just need to make it bigger. More people are on our side than not – we just need to keep the pressure on.”
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