Farmers once again descended on central London to raise awareness of what many lining the streets called a ‘crisis' facing family farms.
While the Inheritance Tax (IHT) issue continues to loom large over the industry, many of those in attendance at the demonstration on Whitehall (February 10) said there was a general feeling that agriculture was now fighting for survival.
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Ella Sidebottom, who, along with her husband Jack, runs a diversified mixed farm, which includes Brook House Farm Shop in Cheshire, said: "We had to be here today to stand united with our friends and colleagues whose businesses are on a knife edge, where generations of tradition, farming knowledge and expertise could be lost forever."
Stephen Wainwright, who farms against the backdrop of Kinder Scout in the Peak District, which welcomes millions of visitors for tourism each year, said: "We are the best countryside caretakers you could ask for but seemingly this Government are willing to lose it all.
"For us, the IHT issue is the last straw. Everyone agrees something needs to be done to tackle those big landowners like the Dysons of this world, but with the current policy the Government is penalising smaller family farms, like ours, who should be protected."
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Libby Jack had driven to London from Banbury, Oxfordshire, with her 11-year-old son Fergus. Three generations currently work on her family arable farm.
She said: "We do not do it to make big profits, we do it to keep the farm going.
"It will not be this generation that is impacted hardest. It will be future generations who will have to sell off pieces of land over time and when this happens across the country you will see that the area of farmed land shrinks considerably. That is a huge threat to farming and food security in this country."
Aaron Christian of AJ Christian Countryside Contractors and Kathryn Hole, who is a tenant on a dairy farm in Atworth, Wiltshire, are both members of Chippenham YFC.
Ms Hole said: "I am on a multi-generational tenancy and I worry what it would be like for my kids in the future. I do not think the Government realises what effect this will all have. If farming goes down, everything goes down with it."
Mr Christian said most of his contracting work came through farmers accessing grant funding. "If that dries up then so does my business," he added.
Christy Clark, James Bray and Fraser Brown all drove their tractors to the rally from Faversham in Kent. They are all in their 20s and are enthusiastic about farming but fearful of the direction Government policy is taking.
Ms Clark said: "My boyfriend and I would not be able to afford the farm if we had to pay a big tax bill. We would have to sell the land. The Government thinks all farmers are rich and do not understand the difference between being asset rich and cash poor. It is going to affect the young people who want to get on and feed the nation."
Mr Brown added: "The policies are designed for big corporates which make a lot of profit, not the average farm like ours. It will destroy a lot of businesses like ours."
Tatton Conservative MP, Esther McVey, told Farmers Guardian: "This Labour Government is prepared to destroy rural communities with its unjust farm tax. It is tantamount to theft of land to use for housing and other things. That is deeply sinister."
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