A basket of pre-loved farm toys has been handed over to the Treasury by a farming family as part of a symbolic show of display against Labour's inheritance tax plan.
Farming families across the UK have donated thousands of toys for a display outside NFU Conference today, each with their own message to the government.
The display of pre-loved toys, along with a range of new and old farm machinery, aims to represent the importance of farming through the generations.
The toys were donated by farmers and members of the public supporting the NFU's ongoing 'Stop the Family Farm Tax' campaign.
A basket of toys, a symbolic gesture representing a farm and a future generation that could be lost, was delivered to the Treasury by the Church family.
The family run a 210-acre livestock farm and tenant a further 400 acres in Bedfordshire, but they say they could be hit with a huge bill if the policy goes ahead.
A basket of pre-loved farm toys has been handed over to the Treasury by three generations of a farming family with a message to the Chancellor – that the unjust family farm tax will deny the children of Britain’s farming families a future in the industry. #StopTheFamilyFarmTax pic.twitter.com/RhzXTTMHqQ
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) February 25, 2025
Hazel Church said it was a real worry: "We’re just a small family farm and we know the changes to inheritance tax will hugely affect us. We could be facing a bill of about £400,000.
"That is an awful lot of money, more than our annual profit for 10 years, money which then can’t be reinvested back into the business to make it more resilient for the future."
She said that the family can't gift the farm either, as this would trigger capital gains tax (CGT) due to the debt within the business.
“I’d love to meet Rachel Reeves and explain how this will impact us as a small family farm. I worry, as an urban MP, that she may not know farmers or understand farming," Ms Church said.
"The key point is farmers don’t get money when they inherit, they get the farm, the business asset, and often the debt.
“I’d be keen to bring her to our farm, show her what we do and sit down with her and the NFU and talk about how we try to make it profitable and viable, which is already extremely difficult."
She warned: "My main concern is for the future. There may be no farm left at this rate for my son, who wants to be a farmer."
NFU President Tom Bradshaw thanked the Church family for coming to London, calling the inheritance tax proposals 'disastrous' for farming families.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw (@ProagriLtd) showcases the display of pre-loved farming toys as he welcomes NFU members to Conference. #NFU25 pic.twitter.com/ILqwRNH4CN
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) February 25, 2025
“We can’t ignore the symbolic donation of farm toys being delivered to Rachel Reeves, or the huge collection on display donated by farmers, which all represent a farm that could be lost, and the generation which could lose it.
"Each toy represents a child who, until this family farm tax was announced, planned a future as one of the nation’s food producers. That future now hangs in the balance."
He concluded: “Our message is very clear. We will keep fighting this battle until the government starts to listen, considers our alternative proposals and ultimately takes action.”
