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Farmers To Action launches day of national protests

Philip Case 10 January 2025
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Image supplied by #Together Facebook groupImage supplied by #Together Facebook group

Angry farmers across the UK are taking their tractors to the streets today in a national day of action against anti-government farming policies, led by the recently formed lobby group Farmers To Action.

The protests on Friday 10 January will see more than 40 tractor road runs across England, Wales, and Scotland, with events taking place in areas including Berkshire, Norfolk, Hampshire, Sussex, Devon, Chester, Leicestershire and Northumberland.

Farmers are also using tractors to block supermarket distribution centres in some locations, including Reading, Northampton and Cheshire.

At Thruxton Circuit in Andover, Hampshire, hundreds of tractors assembled ahead of a their go-slow drive along the A303. 

See also: Family farm tax protests overshadow Reed’s OFC speech

The protests, which kicked off at 10:30am, follow a series of earlier actions in Yorkshire and Oxford, and are part of the group’s National Farming Awareness Campaign Day.

Farmers are voicing their opposition to the government’s farming policies, particularly MP Steve Reed’s Defra roadmap and chancellor Rachel Reeves’ controversial plans to introduce a 20% farm inheritance tax from April 2026:

A post on the Farmers To Action Facebook page, which has roughly 1,300 followers, stated: “Our demands are clear. Our farmers, your food, everyone’s future.”

The group is urging the government to reconsider its policies, and is calling for greater support for UK farmers to ensure food security and the survival of the agricultural industry.

In a heartfelt video on Facebook, Leslie Thorburn, a cattle and sheep farmer from Oswestry, Norrth Wales, who is also a member of Farmers To Action, called for unity within the farming community.

“We need to support each other,” she said. “This is not the time for in-fighting. This is the time to focus on the big picture, which is saving British farming.”

Ms Thorburn also urged farmers to continue telling their stories and raising awareness of the pressures they face.

Tarquin de Meza, co-founder of Farmers To Action, explained that farmers are also targeting supermarket distribution centres due to continuing issues with low pay for their products.

“Farmers with supermarket contracts are often paid a pittance, while consumers are paying up to 300% more at the till than they were pre-Covid,” he said. “How is it that prices haven’t risen for farmers in 7-10 years, yet costs for consumers have soared? Something doesn’t add up.”

Mr De Meza stressed that farmers are fighting not only against inheritance tax (IHT) but for fair prices and better treatment across the board.

The #Together campaign is supporting Farmers To Action’s protests. Alan Miller, spokesperson for #Together, warned that an IHT on farms could devastate family-run businesses.

“If this government introduces farm IHT, it will destroy 80% of our family farms,” Mr Miller said. “This is just the beginning. We will continue to campaign until the government reverses this damaging policy.”

The protests come amid growing concerns over the future of UK farming, with farmers warning that current policies could lead to the collapse of the sector.

A major concern is the potential impact on food security and the livelihoods of farmers, who are struggling with rising costs and increasing pressure from government reforms.

Image supplied by Farmers To Action

Image supplied by Farmers To Action

NFU president’s plea

Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference on 9 January, NFU president Tom Bradshaw expressed understanding of farmers’ frustrations, but cautioned that protests must maintain public support.

“If we lose the public support, the government have won,” Mr Bradshaw said, urging farmers to ensure their actions are constructive and not alienating the public.

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