Industry plans continued action against IHT changes

The UK’s four main farming unions – NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) – have announced plans for a national “day of unity” against the so-called “family farm tax” on Saturday 25 January.

The events, including planned tractor runs in Scotland and Northern Ireland, will continue to highlight the damage the UK government’s proposed changes to inheritance tax (IHT) poses to the viability of family farms across the UK.

The industry will also thank the public for its continuing support in this matter.

See also: Farmer confidence shattered as Reeves’ Budget takes its toll

While the activity taking place across all parts of the UK is likely to differ, the key unified message is the same: unless the UK government halts its deeply flawed family farm tax proposals, they will damage and threaten family farms and, in turn, undermine UK food production.

Changes

In the lead up to the UK government’s spring statement in March 2025, the UK farming unions are demanding formal changes to its plans.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “Farmers haven’t taken this destructive policy lying down and we won’t give up.

“There is too much at risk – our families, our future, our heritage and the undermining of the very sector that produces a safe, secure supply of British food.

“We are so grateful to the British public for their ongoing support on this issue.

“The 25th is not just a day for the farming community to show unity, but anyone who believes Britain’s family farms, and the high quality food they produce, deserve to be better valued and supported.”

‘Not backing down’

UFU president William Irvine added that almost half of all family farms in Northern Ireland could be affected by the watering down of agricultural property relief and business property relief.

“We must make it crystal clear to the Labour government that we are not backing down on this issue,” he said.

“These rallies are simply the next step, with more action to follow in the lead up to the spring [budget] statement.”

NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy added: “We need the UK government to stop; reset; reflect; and properly engage and consult on an alternative approach – one that does not have deep, unintended consequences for the future of farming.”

Blockades

Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph has reported that some farmers are also plotting a supermarket blockade this month, to ramp up protests over the government’s policy, risking leaving supermarket shelves empty.

Quoting unnamed sources from the more “radical farmer protest groups”, it said the aim would be to start slowly, blocking food hubs for a few hours at a time, then building up the disruption should the government offer no concessions.

Lincolnshire farmer and one of the organisers of the November London protest, Andrew Ward, insisted that farmers still wanted to work with the government to fix the situation.

“There is a compromise to be had, where the government doesn’t lose face and true family businesses are protected,” he said.

“But at the moment they’re not willing to communicate with us at all and they’re not listening to their own advisors.

“The industry doesn’t want to start causing problems by blocking distribution centres and see empty shelves, but we will have to consider it if all other measures fail.”