Inheritance tax will 'devastate' family farmers
BBCA farmer protesting against planned changes to inheritance tax says her "whole farm could be lost".
Victoria Broughton said: "We have a farm which we have built up over 120 years, but inheritance tax at 20% will devastate it."
She joined dozens of others at a demonstration in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, with protests also taking place in Swindon.
The government said of the change in tax: "This is a fair and balanced approach, which fixes the public services we all rely on."
From April 2026 there will be a charge of 20% inheritance tax on agricultural assets worth more than £1m for the first time, although the threshold for some farmers to pay would be £3m.
The protests were organised by campaign group Farmers To Action.
Farmers took part in a tractor convoy in Weston-super-Mare and others gathered outside the council offices on Euclid Street, Swindon.
Ms Broughton, who farms near South Petherton, Somerset said: "My children will be left with a farm that's not viable, it's going to be bought by a big investor who isn't interested in the local community."
Tim Johnson's family has been farming on land at Coulston, Westbury, since 1929.
He said: "We've limited this so that we're not disrupting the whole of Swindon this time, this is just to make sure everyone knows we're here."
Nick Fear, who farms near Trowbridge said: "it's an impossible task to pay the tax, carry on working as a working farm, and allow investment which won't be there.
He added: "You're going to have farms selling up left right and centre and everyone goes on about food security – it won't be there".
The government expects the changes to affect the wealthiest 500 estates each year.
Ministers have maintained it will make things "fairer" and protect "small family farms".
The government has also stated that it is planning to invest £5bn into farming over the next two years.
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