Many young farmers addressed MPs yesterday ahead of a Westminster Hall debate on the family farm tax petition. It came as hundreds of tractors once again descended on Whitehall to demonstrate against the changes to inheritance tax.
Mike Wilkins from Wiltshire, said: “Farming is an incredible job and I feel so lucky to be able to spend my days trying to produce the most sustainable food possible for the country, but that has now all been cast into doubt.
“On my family’s farm, my dad is still the primary owner as this was the best tax advice given ahead of the Budget. Now, my sister and I face a possibly crippling tax bill that we just don’t have the funds to cover and could impact our ability to produce food for the nation. It also means we won’t be able to invest in our agriculture systems to meet our climate ambitions.”
Amanda Watson from North Yorkshire, said: “On my family’s upland beef and sheep farm our land is everything – it’s not just an asset on paper, it’s the foundation of our entire business. If we are forced to pay inheritance tax, we simply won’t be able to continue farming and producing food because selling off parts of our land isn’t an option without destroying the farm.
“The government’s inheritance tax policy fails to protect family farms like ours, ones that produce food, care for the environment and maintain biodiversity. It shows a complete disconnect from the realities of British farming. For the sake of families like mine, who are custodians of the land, looking after it for future generations to come, the government must listen to our concerns.”
George Cowper from Warwickshire, said: “I farm alongside my two brothers and parents, it’s a proper family affair. We produce high welfare, nutritious poultry meat for the country as well as arable crops and some lambs. My parents spent years building the business and I feel terrible that it may be lost.
“We recently built a new state-of-the-art poultry shed to improve welfare and production, and we had scope to build another, but with the tax bill we face we can no longer take on the risk of investing money into the business. We’re not alone, there are many other businesses in the same boat.”
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “From the stories we’re hearing, it is clear the impact of this tax hike will be felt not just today for but for generations to come. This badly constructed policy affects so many people. It is morally wrong the elderly feel targeted, and we face turning away the next generation, who are excited to drive forward the sustainable production of the country’s food, because the family farm they have worked on could be wiped out by huge inheritance tax bills.
“On the back of the report from the National Preparedness Commission last week, raising serious concerns about the country’s food security, there has never been a more important time to unlock the potential of the farming industry, to invest for the future of food production and deliver the growth our economy desperately needs. Instead, we have a policy that is inhumane, will stifle investment and hits the hard-working family farms that produce this country’s food.
“The figures that Treasury is using to create this policy have been disputed by almost everyone. That includes previously supportive tax experts and the government’s own levy board AHDB saying that 75% farms will be impacted. Even the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), used by Treasury as a reliable fiscal barometer, has said it is highly uncertain whether the measures will raise the £500m the Treasury – which it did not consult with anyone on before launching the changes – claims it will raise. The OBR also said, ‘it is likely to be more difficult for some older individuals to quickly restructure their affairs in response to the measure’.
“When the multiple strands of evidence look this stark, simply digging in and holding a position can’t be the right option. Dialogue and solutions have to be the way forward for everyone and I remain committed to finding those constructive solutions with the Chancellor.”
