Farmers have taken the fight to supermarkets as they park their tractors in car parks across the country to protest against Keir Starmer‘s inheritance tax raid.
Dozens have descended on their local supermarkets to try and highlight the financial challenges that farmers are facing and voice their thoughts on how food productions operates in this country.
All the groups will be bringing letters to the store managers to let them know they are ‘coming in peace’ and asking for their support on the issue.
Supermarkets have been chosen to ensure maximum visibility among the public, and provide a local location for farmers to voice their anger, following major demonstrations in Westminster.
However, they will not be protesting outside any Morrisons shops after the food giant gave its backing to the farmers in a fresh blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
In a video posted on social media, the grocery chain told Britain’s farmers it shared their concerns about the impact of Labour’s action, adding: ‘We’re with you.’
Campaigners hailed Morrisons’ intervention as a ‘major development’ in the fight against Ms Reeves’ Budget measures.
Under changes announced in October, farmers will pay a 20 per cent rate of inheritance tax on land and property they inherit worth more than £1million.
Farmers have taken the fight to supermarkets as they park their tractors in car parks across the country to protest against Keir Starmer ‘s inheritance tax raid
All the groups will be bringing letters to the store managers to let them know they are ‘coming in peace’ and asking for their support on the issue
Ministers have insisted their action – dubbed the ‘family farm tax’ – will only affect the wealthiest quarter of landowners.
But the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and others say the impact of Ms Reeves’ measures will be much more widespread.
Critics claim the move could wipe out family-run farms with tight margins, as they will be forced to sell up in order to pay death duties.
Farmers have been staging a series of protests across the UK in the wake of the Budget, including at Westminster.
Latest figure revealed that farmers are barely receiving a penny profit on the produce they sell.
A four pack of beef burgers (350g) costs in your local super market around £3.50, and it only cost the farmer 90p, however they only make a 1p profit.
Similarly a 480g pack of cheddar a supermarket will charge £2.50 but it costs dairy farmer £1.48 to produce and they make less than a penny in profit.
Under changes announced in October, farmers will pay a 20 per cent rate of inheritance tax on land and property they inherit worth more than £1million
A supermarket will charge 45p for a kilo of carrots, it costs a farmer 14p to produce and they make no profit on the selling price.
Ollie a local farmer from Horsham told GMB this morning: ‘We are here for the future of British agriculture. A lot of these chaps would rather not be here and I think it is important we acknowledge where our food comes from.
‘The tax that was imposed back in October had a massive impact on our industry. I think food security is massively important.
‘And we are here today to educate, peacefully, members of the public, to talk to them about the importance of food, especially British food an where it comes from.’
A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium said: ‘Retailers are working incredible hard to keep food inflation low at a time when households are struggling to afford the essentials.’
