NFU to put up roadside banners demanding 'family farm tax' u-turn

(Photo: NFU)
(Photo: NFU)

The NFU is set to erect thousands of banners across the UK calling on the Labour government to ditch its controversial 'family farm tax' unveiled in the budget.

The union said its new campaign aimed to halt the 'unfair and destructive' changes, which will see a 20% farm inheritance tax in 2026 for assets over £1m.

As part of it, roadside banners will be installed across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland calling on the government to reverse its decision.

The NFU said there would also be gate banners and thousands of car stickers for farmers to place on their gates and to hand out to others.

Materials will come out to farmers from 16 December, with more available in January to purchase at a cost, the NFU said.

"We want our message to be visible all across rural UK, and we need your help to make that happen," the union said.

Farmers have also been urged to meet their MPs, together with their accountants and advisers, later 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 the Conservative's motion to scrap the so-called 'family farm tax' introduced in the autumn budget was rejected by MPs following a debate in parliament.

After a four hour debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday (4 December), the motion was rejected, with 339 MPs voting against and 181 in favour.

Despite warnings from rural stakeholders and experts, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Treasury have been accused by the industry of not listening.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said Downing Street had been 'silent' since he met with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last week.

“We have been clear that this is a bad policy, built on bad data, and would mark the end of many family farms. It needs to be halted, at the very least for a proper consultation."

Mr Bradshaw said the new campaign would be 'constant', with an aim to build pressure on the government so it would change this 'botched' policy.

“The government may well try and draw this out, hoping we will give up over time, but rest assured we are in it for the long haul," he added.

“We will make it clear that this issue will not go away and we will not stop until this awful family farm tax is stopped.”

The government announced its plans in the budget on 30 October to impose a 20% inheritance tax on farm assets worth £1m or more, from April 2026.

Since then, over 20,000 farmers flocked to a rally in London last month amid warnings about the survival of the family farm and risks to UK food security.

Industry campaigners are in the process of organising new farmer protests across the UK, including in central London, with a date set for Wednesday 11 December.