'Many farms are running on empty'

Ledbury farmer Nicky Robinson said the tax changes would make her family farm "unviable"

Hundreds of farmers have gathered in Ross-on-Wye to protest against government plans to change the rules surrounding inheritance tax.

From April 2026 inheritance tax relief for agricultural assets will be capped at £1m, farming property is currently exempt.

Organiser and Tenbury farmer Emma Mapp said the rally was a “show of strength” for farmers who could not make it to a protest in London, which was attended by thousands of people.

She said the new tax felt like “the final nail in the coffin” for the industry.

“Many farms are running on empty, there’s no reserves left,” Mrs Mapp said.

David Parker and his daughter Tilly farm in Vowchurch in Herefordshire – their farm has been in the family for more than a century.

Mr Parker said the £1m threshold "sounds like a huge amount, but in fact it’s a small farm of about 90 acres.”

“If you want to pass it onto your children, they’re going to spend the next 10 years paying possibly £20,000 or £30,000 a year… to finally achieve their goal of becoming farmers.”

Tilly and David Parker said the inheritance tax changes would cancel out any profit their farm was making

Nicky Robinson and her sisters are fourth generation farmers near Ledbury, who are expecting to inherit the family farm from their father.

Ms Robinson said the family would like to keep the farm going, but the inheritance tax would make their future “unviable”.

“Farmers are asset-rich, cash-poor – and to find that money is going to be impossible,” she said.

“We will have to sell land, which makes it less viable to carry on the farm."

“Ultimately, less food production will happen in this country, there’ll be more food imported, and prices will go up.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he understood farmers' concerns and "wants to support" them but added "the vast majority" would be unaffected.