Farmers from across the South have joined thousands gathered at Westminster today to protest changes they claim will jeopardise the future of family farms.
The demonstration highlights growing frustration within the farming community over government policies that they feel are out of touch with the realities of rural life.
Central to the protests is a proposed budget measure introducing a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural estates valued over £1 million. Farmers argue that this tax will make it financially unsustainable to pass farms down through generations, potentially forcing families to sell parts of their land to cover tax liabilities.
Protesters stress that family farms are not just businesses but vital to the UK’s food security, rural economies, and cultural heritage. They also criticize the government for failing to consult the agricultural sector adequately on these changes. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has warned that the measure could significantly disrupt farming, with many smaller farms, which are already struggling due to rising costs and labour shortages, facing closure.
Farmers are urging the government to reconsider this tax policy, emphasising the importance of preserving generational farming and supporting domestic food production in the face of increasing global uncertainties.
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