Video: Farmers blockade Morrisons depot in Somerset

(Photo: Farmers To Action/Facebook)
(Photo: Farmers To Action/Facebook)

Farmers blockaded a Morrisons distribution centre in Somerset over the weekend as anger continues over inheritance tax changes and retailers' low prices.

Numerous tractors protested outside the retailer's South West distribution centre, just off the M5 near Bridgwater, on Friday evening (10 January).

Footage posted on social media by Farmers To Action, a recently formed group which organised the rally, shows dozens of tractors blocking access for lorries.

Protestors undertook the action to "fight for our farms and fair pricing for your food", according to the group.

Only delivery lorries were blocked from the distribution centre, but employees and cars were still being allowed through.

Elsewhere, a go-slow protest took place on the A303 in Somerset in order to bring public attention to the issues the industry is facing.

A farmer who undertook the protest said: "We're trying to raise awareness with the public and government about the unfair rules that they're bringing in.

"Farmers for Action have got a plan... We're we're trying to abolish inheritance tax and restore the APR [agricultural property relief] and BPR [business property relief].

"The second one is fairness in food pricing and the national food security, all things that are close to our heart."

Industry anger continues to mount over the Labour government's inheritance tax change - dubbed the 'family farm tax' - first announced in the autumn budget.

From April 2026, APR rules will be changed, resulting in a 100% relief on the first £1m of assets and then 50% relief on assets after that, equating to an effective tax rate of 20%.

In simple terms, where land, dwellings, machinery, animals and other assets are worth in excess of £1 million, there will be a £200,000 tax levy owed.

The industry's next steps in fighting the proposals is an upcoming UK-wide day of action taking place on 25 January and organised by the UK's four farming unions.

The day’s events will vary from region to region, but the unions' overarching message is that the tax is 'badly thought out' and that it will 'crush family farming in Britain'.