The NFU has said the campaign against the government's farm inheritance tax is a 'fight we will not abandon' as its new banner campaign gets well underway.
This week marked the beginning of the next phase of campaigning to stop the so-called 'family farm tax', as the 'Big Banner' initiative was unveiled.
A day national solidarity on Thursday (19 December) saw the NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers’ Union display banners up and down the UK.
Designed to be highly visible in key political constituencies, the aim of the ongoing campaign is to focus public attention and build political pressure on the tax changes.
The government announced in the autumn budget a 20% inheritance tax for agricultural assets over £1m, which will roll out from April 2026.
The announcement triggered a series of protests and rallies across the country, with London seeing tens of thousands of farmers descend on it in the last month alone.
To support the unions' new campaign, car stickers will soon be available to boost visibility, allowing supporters to spread awareness wherever they travel and reinforce the call for action among the public.
As these messages begin to populate the UK’s major highways, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said it had been a "powerful visual reminder to government that our fight to protect family farms is far from over."
"Only a combination of public support and political pressure will lead to a change in this damaging policy," he noted.
“The NFU is in a unique position to apply that pressure, bringing together stakeholders, 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."
In January, farmers and the public will be able to order more campaign materials, such as banners and car stickers, through the NFU's online shop.
The union has also urged farmers to meet their MPs, together with their accountants and advisers, this month and into early January.
MPs needed to see 'first-hand' the data for individual farms, that the 'Treasury lines claiming few farms will be affected by the changes are wrong'.
It comes as the owners of tens of thousands of family-run farms and businesses urged the government earlier this week to scrap its controversial tax changes.
Thirty-two trade associations, representing 160,000 family-run firms, warned that the move could trigger substantial job losses and a fall in investment.
Meanwhile, several local councils across England have overwhelmingly voted to support farmers against the government's plans.
The movement, dubbed the 'town hall rebellion', has in the past few days seen Suffolk, North Northamptonshire, Devon, Cambridgeshire and Harborough councils pass motions supporting the industry.
