Family farms face 'extinction', warn campaigners

Justin Rogers had the idea to take a trailer to the Labour party conference this autumn

Plans to start charging inheritance tax on some farms would lead to the "extinction" of the family farm in the south west, opponents have claimed.

Pressure group Farmers to Action have started a new campaign to get the Government to ditch proposals for some farmers to pay a 20% rate on their estate.

A trailer collecting messages of opposition is to be towed through Cornwall and Devon on its way to the Labour party conference in Liverpool later this month.

The Government insisted only a small number of farms would be affected by the changes and the money raised was needed to fund public services.

From next April, farmers will be charged 20% tax on estates worth more than £1m as part of changes to agricultural property relief.

Justin Rogers, chairman of Farmers to Action, said this would have a devastating impact.

"Most farms are doing well to break even so to add a tax of 20% is not feasible.

"Within two generations, there won't be any small farms left..." he said.

Mr Rogers said the trailer would be appearing in Truro, Hallworthy, and Exeter over the coming days - with similar trailers being towed through Scotland and Wales.

Farmers have signed a banner on the trailer to be taken to the Labour party conference

Mr Rogers, who farms in Ivybridge, hoped relaying messages directly from farmers would get their concerns across.

"This is the only way of putting our point across. The farming community have been attacked for a very long time and we can't take it anymore," he added.

Robert Tilly, a farmer near Penzance, was among those who left a message on the trailer.

He said: "We're all fearful. We have a government that doesn't seem to listen and doesn't seem to care.

"They don't seem to worry that food will be dwindling from our own country and supplied by other countries.

"Just about every other nation cares about their farmers. This country doesn't seem to."

Duncan Patton feared farming in Cornwall would die out like tin mining had previously

Duncan Patton, who farms in Coverack, said: "The government's doing nothing for farming because they don't understand farming."

He warned the changes to agricultural property relief would "destroy" family farms and feared for the future of the industry locally.

"Nobody will have a decent farm and you'll need more and more bigger farms because you can't make a profit on a hundred acres anymore. It'll go the same way as tin mining."

A government spokesperson said: "Our commitment to farming and food security is steadfast.

"We've allocated a record £11.8bn to sustainable farming and have appointed former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters to recommend new reforms to boost farmers' profits.

"Most estates claiming Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs will be unaffected by the changes.

"The latest data shows that 40% of Agricultural Property Relief - worth £219m - was directed to just 117 estates.

"The money raised will go towards public services we all rely on every day instead."