Farmers protest in London against the proposed 20% inheritance tax, fearing ruin for family farms and food security risks.
Jeremy Sanders-Carr, a farmer, joined the protest. He thinks new taxes could ruin family farms and endanger our food supply. Survival motivated him to go to London, where he stood with other worried farmers.
Jeremy says farms lack readily available cash, as their value is in land and equipment. Selling these would harm their businesses. He believes politicians don’t seem to listen to experts. He fears “Labour are not listening,” risking the nation’s food security.
The proposed Inheritance Tax changes worry farmers, who feel their farms and food security are at risk. Some elderly farmers say they’d rather die than face the new tax rules. He is also concerned about other policies, including fertiliser tax and BPS reductions. He believes it’s an attack on farming.
These policies may hurt farmers in the South West, a region of family-run mixed farms. Inheritance Tax poses a great threat, potentially breaking up existing family businesses. Each inheritance could force land sales, making farms unsustainable.
Small family farms lack financial flexibility, unlike wealthier estates that can adapt. Devon and Somerset farms need each inheritance to keep their farms alive.
Farmers want a real discussion with the government to understand the impact. Farmers pay income tax and other taxes, while few people currently pay inheritance tax. New rules could burden family farms with profits less than 1%.
Jeremy suggests raising the tax threshold above £1 million. A £10 million threshold could protect farms. He thinks the public misunderstands farm finances, needing education on how farms operate.
He says people see expensive tractors and assume farmers buy them for fun. Tractors are tools, like in other businesses. People don’t know about farm debt. Despite financial stress, farmers remain passionate.
Farming returns are very low, just 1%. It would be easier to sell and invest elsewhere. Farming is in their blood, a way of life. If farms close, who will buy them, and where will our food come from?
Jeremy feels pessimistic about the future, believing farming is under attack. He cites the climate claims and actions of supermarkets, cheap imports, and rewilding initiatives as threats to the land.
UK farming has high standards and heavy regulations, which add to costs. Farmers don’t feel fairly treated and believe they need a level playing field.
James Wright, another protesting farmer, traveled after feeding his cattle. Many tractors blocked Whitehall in London. He believes taxes hurt family farms and the nation’s food supply. Villages need farms to survive, and he feels rural life is at risk.
Farmers must work together with vets and machinery experts to protect food security and defend rural villages.