Staffordshire farmers were amongst thousands who protested in London yesterday against the Government’s inheritance tax reforms.
Dozens of local farmers, their families and agricultural suppliers descended on the capital in a rally and mass lobby opposing changes announced in last month’s Budget which will mean farms worth over £1 million will be subject to 20 per cent inheritance tax from April 2026.
The Met Police estimated more than 10,000 people turned out to protest.
Employees from JCB’s farming businesses in Staffordshire were given a day off work to join in, with almost 40 employees boarding a 5am JCB coach to London with other farmers.
The group included employees of JCB Farms and Wootton Estates based at Wootton where JCB farms cereals, vegetables, beef, sheep and chickens organically.
JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford said: “We have been supplying farmers with machinery since the day JCB was founded in 1945, so what happens to our customers and the farming community is of great importance to us.
“We are very concerned that farmers should be prejudiced against in this way, but more than anything, it is crucial that food from Britain feeds our nation as not all the food we need can come from abroad.
“The planned changes pose a real threat to farmers, and to food production, as some small family farms quite simply won’t be able to find the money to pay inheritance tax.
“JCB is one of only two tractor manufacturers in Britain and the only British manufacturer of telescopic handlers, which are used on virtually every farm in this country, so food production is highly significant to the British people and it’s highly important to us as a business.”
Wootton Farms employees Ted Hibbert and his twin brother Jack come from a four-generation family of farmers.
Ted said: “It’s our hope in the future to take over our family farm which is why this issue is so important to us because farms the size of ours would have to sell a lot of land to cover the costs of inheritance tax.
“The policy makers don’t seem to understand the implications of what they are proposing. When assets are tied up in land, it’s going to be very difficult for people to pay the inheritance tax without selling land. I hope by having this rally it will overturn the decision over inheritance tax.
“Even with just 500 acres of land it would mean a massive tax bill and it would take a long time to pay it off. Farmers will be forced to sell assets and sell land, which will impact on food production in this country. When you produce food in this country you know the food is of a high quality and hasn’t for example been pumped with chemicals which are banned over here.
“If we want good quality produce you need it to come from this country and not from abroad. Pushing ahead with this policy on inheritance tax will stop that.”
Other travel organisers included farmer Richard Bower who arranged for a 53-seater coach to London from his 750-acre beef and arable farm, Lower Drayton Farm, in Penkridge.
He is a third-generation farmer with children he hopes to pass his business on to.
Richard told Daily Focus: “It is a big thing for farmers to leave their farms for the day and for so many of them to do, shows how strongly they feel.
“I believe we have been targeted as a minority and do not agree with where the Government has got the figures from.
“This will affect food security and break up small family farms which are the bedrock of our industry.”
He added: “It was very emotional and I was very proud to see all the farmers standing together.”
The Government says the changes will only affect 500 estates a year, but this number is being disputed.
