Farmers plot their next steps over 20% family farm tax (Image: Getty)
Furious farmers are planning a huge move in protest to the 20% that will be foisted upon them next year.
’ tax-hungry saw a change to tax rules for rural workers which could break up thousands of small family farms.
From April 2026, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1million, which were previously exempt, will have to pay inheritance tax at 20%.
Speaking anonymously, one farmer said: “Farmers could bring the country to a halt in 30 minutes; we have got more kit than the army.
“We have got desperate people who have got nothing to lose. There is no limit to what people could do.”
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Rachel Reeves slapped farmers with inheritance tax from next year (Image: Getty)
The move has sparked outrage across the agricultural industry up and down the country. The £1million cap does not just account for the value of land, but also livestock, farmhouses, sheds and machinery with the Country Land and Business Association predicting that over 70,000 farms could be impacted.
However, tensions soared after the Treasury claimed it could be as little as 100 farms that are affected and Defra Secretary Steve Reed saying “it was hard to be sorry” towards farmers as the tax will contribute towards filling ’ £22billion black hole and fix the NHS.
Many of the family-run farms operate as asset rich but cash poor, meaning they are unable to afford the tax bill from profits alone.
On November 19, the farming community took to the streets of London in protest. Many farmers have been seen to support a ‘French style’ action meaning the blocking of supermarket supply chains.
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Thousands of farmers took to the streets in protest on November 19 (Image: Getty)
The Farming Forum founder said: “I hope it doesn’t come to this and it’s not something I’m going to organise, but I do know that’s what others are planning.
“I don’t think withholding food on farms will work. The only way to create a food shortage is to block supermarkets’ distribution centres.
“You block their distribution centres and take out 1,000 [shops] at a time.
“You can also do that away from roads that make people late for work or miss hospital appointments as they are all nicely out of town in places no one needs to go.
“That keeps public onside. They all hate big supermarkets as much as we do and won’t feel sorry for them at all.”