The Fairer Family Farming campaign has been launched by working family farmers to challenge government changes to Inheritance Tax.
The grassroots movement has said the tax changes, which limit the 100% relief from Inheritance Tax to the first £1m of the value agricultural and business property, “threaten the future of Britain’s farming communities”.
The campaign has been initiated by long-time family farmers David Passmore, Robin Hart and Phil Merson.
It is urging the government to adopt a “fairer approach that protects Britain’s farming heritage while ensuring tax integrity”.
“The government’s changes have created an impossible choice for farming families,” said Hart. “Without reform so many of us will be forced to sell land simply to meet tax obligations.
“That outcome would damage local, rural economies and weaken the food supply we all rely on.”
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The campaign has supported the minimum share rule alternative proposal put forward by the Centre for Analysis of Taxation, which would remove relief for passive investors in farmland and other business assets, funding an extension of 100% relief for farmers and other business owners to £5m per estate.
This, the campaign group said, would preserve Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief for genuine farmers while closing loopholes for passive investors.
“Farming isn’t just a job – it’s a way of life that sustains communities and powers local economies,” said Passmore. “Current proposals risk dismantling businesses that have sustained communities for generations.
“That’s why we’re asking ministers to carefully consider the Centax proposal again and engage with Labour’s new rural MPs in order to ensure a fairer approach.”
The campaign is being funded by farmers and is non-partisan, independent of industry bodies and is focussed solely on securing a fair tax system for family farms.
“This campaign is about fairness and sustainability,” said Merson. “Too many small, working farmers are impacted for very little tax gain.
“We need a tax system that can see the difference between people who work the land and those who just invest in it.”
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