Farmers in East Anglia join National Farmers’ Union campaign against Government’s inheritance tax plans

Farmers in East Anglia are joining the fight against the Government’s plans to introduce an inheritance tax on agricultural assets.

Alongside farmers across the UK, producers are placing banners across the region as part of a campaign by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).

The union believes the bill threatens food production, rural businesses and the future of family farms – and has urged protests to take place from now and into January.

Banners are being placed on roadsides and on gates up and down the country, including on major roads such as the A1 and M25 as well as key rail routes, in the lead up to what it calls ‘big banner day’.

Car stickers are also available for the public to display their support where they go.

Glenn Buckingham, chairman of NFU’s Suffolk branch, said the ‘family farm tax’ posed a risk to the ‘entire rural economy’.

He added: “This is causing a huge amount of anxiety across the industry. It is an example of a government out of touch with rural life.

“We acknowledge there are reasons to raise tax, but this proposal has not been thought through and has unintended consequences – it has to be stopped.”

The new inheritance tax plans, which would apply to assets over £1 million, are set to come into effect from April 2026.

Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, said the campaign would be a ‘powerful visual reminder’ to the Government that the fight to protect family farms was far from over.

He said: “These tax changes are unjust, based on flawed data and risk destroying the very backbone of British agriculture.

“Family farms have been at the heart of our rural communities for generations, producing high-quality food, supporting local communities and maintaining the beautiful landscapes we all value.

“The proposed changes threaten not just individual farming families, but the future of the heritage and traditions of an entire way of life.”

Mr Bradshaw said that only a combination of public support and political pressure would lead to a change in policy.

He added: “The NFU is in a unique position to apply that pressure, bringing together stakeholders from across the country, coordinating efforts across all the home nations and leading a campaign to highlight the importance of protecting British family farms.

“We owe it to our farming families and to future generations to ensure these damaging proposals don’t undermine the future of food production.

“This is a fight we will not abandon, and we need everyone to stand with us.”

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