Political | Posted on November 19th, 2024 | return to news
52 farms in Dorset could be hit by “family farm tax,” warns MP
MP Vikki Slade has called on the government to scrap the so-called “family farm tax” on farms in Mid Dorset and North Poole.
Following the government’s decision to cut inheritance tax relief for farms, 52 farms in Mid Dorset and North Poole could be hit by the so-called “family farm tax.”
MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Vikki Slade, has called on the government to scrap the “family farm tax” and take up Liberal Democrat proposals for an additional £1 billion a year in support for farmers.
The government previously said that 27 per cent of farms will be affected by the changes which cut the levels of inheritance tax relief for farmers.
According to the Lib Dems, if 27 per cent of farms in Mid Dorset and North Poole were affected by the changes, it would mean 52 farmers being hit by the government’s “family farm tax”. Vikki Slade, who has joined farmers protesting in Westminster today, said this could ring the “death knell” for local family farms.
Vikki said: “The Chancellor should urgently reverse course, scrap the family farm tax and take up the Liberal Democrat proposals to give farmers an additional £1 billion a year in support.
“I will be joining farmers from Mid Dorset and North Poole at the NFU Mass Lobby in Westminster on Tuesday. I know the changes to Agricultural Property Relief have caused deep concern to many families who are worried that their farms could be broken up and made unviable if this change goes ahead.
“I will continue to do what I can, through interventions in Parliament, to speak up for our rural communities and farmers.”
Meanwhile, Tom Amery-Matthews is chair of the Watercress Association and MD of the Watercress Company based in Mid Dorset and North Poole. He said that every single watercress grower and farmer in the sector would have to sell their farms to pay for death duty.
He also believes that there is little expertise outside the businesses to take on the highly skilled nature of growing watercress and feels strongly the industry will collapse within the next seven years if implemented.
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