Nottinghamshire farmers to take part in national day of unity to stop the family farm tax

Nottinghamshire farmers will join others from across the UK to stage a national day of unity in January, as pressure builds on government to halt the controversial family farm tax.

Farmers fear the new tax — which will see farms valued at over £3m taxed an additional 20% on every pound over this threshold upon the death of the current owner — will devastate family farms across the country.

The decision has led to widespread protests by farm owners and workers after it was included in the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget, and farmers also recently staged a demonstration in Newark Market Place.

Now, on January 25, towns in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, will see farmers gathering to thank the British public for their overwhelming support, and to underline to their parliamentarians that their campaign will not stop until the tax is subject to ‘consultation and proper scrutiny’.

UK farming unions NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers’ Union will participate in the day’s events, which will vary region to region but will all push the campaign’s three simple messages.

These messages are that the tax is badly thought out and will crush family farming in Britain, that the wonderful support of the public means everything to farmers, and that farmers are not going away and will continue the campaign on as long as it needs to go on.

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.

“This date will give everyone that wants to an opportunity to support family farms from right across the UK, to show unity and strength, and for farmers and growers to speak as one in our call for government to stop the family farm tax.

“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.”

Farmer Jane Bassett, NFU regional board chair, who represents county farmers and those across the Midlands said specific plans were being led by NFU farming leaders with details being finalised and firmed up in the weeks ahead working with other members, county and regional teams.

She said: “We had the mass lobby in London and have launched our banner campaign all the while mass lobbying MPs over this and we have shown this issue is not going away and we will continue to fight it.

“The campaign continues as we call on all of our politicians from all parties to back the industry and stop this destructive tax on family food producing businesses, the economy and rural communities.”

Details of the individual events in each region will be released in January.