The Farmers Fight

merlotgran 👏👏👏

Some people just can’t see beyond the farmhouse, the car in the drive and kiddies’ ponies in the paddock - if they’re there at all and not a figment of the imagination.

They also can’t imagine what it must be like to work for the farmer as a tractor driver or stockman and lose your livelihood and possibly your home if the farm has to be sold and you’re the wrong side of fifty.

Allira

LizzieDrip

The total ignorance to not understand the difference is astounding. I think much comes down to jealousy, some to the point of vindictiveness. There's precious little evidence of any cognitive understanding how farming and farms work. It's a unique business model that actually feeds us through hard relentless graft

Ok Rosie, as I’m apparently ignorant, jealous and vindictive, please explain to me why farmers’ children deserve to inherit their parents’ farm more than my daughter deserves to inherit our family home.

I’m all ears - even in my ignorance, jealousy and vindictiveness.

If you don't understand, even after reading the thread, watching the news, reading reports (🤔) then there is just no point in trying to explain.

I do agree Allira but I'll try one more simple way.
LizzieDrip your family home doesn't benefit anyone but your family. Farmers provide the food we all need to live. They are not just passing on a property to live in but a working environment to feed the nation. If a farmer has to sell some of the land to pay the IHT then the farm becomes smaller, less viable. That land won't necessarily be kept for farming by the new owner. Do you want the UK to grow its own food or are you happy just importing everything?

Your statement here demonstrates pure envy, why should they have something I don't. Surely you can see that? Why should MPs get expenses the rest of us don't? I don't remember you having a problem with that.

LizzieDrip

^The total ignorance to not understand the difference is astounding. I think much comes down to jealousy, some to the point of vindictiveness. There's precious little evidence of any cognitive understanding how farming and farms work. It's a unique business model that actually feeds us through hard relentless graft^

Ok Rosie, as I’m apparently ignorant, jealous and vindictive, please explain to me why farmers’ children deserve to inherit their parents’ farm more than my daughter deserves to inherit our family home.

I’m all ears - even in my ignorance, jealousy and vindictiveness.

If you don't understand, even after reading the thread, watching the news, reading reports (🤔) then there is just no point in trying to explain.

Rosie51

vegansrock

Trouble is a lot of the land that is currently free from IHT is not productive land - it’s land used for horses or pets or just left as an investment or a tax avoidance scheme.

Then tighten up the rules, but don't take a sledgehammer to all who own and work the land!

👏👏👏

The total ignorance to not understand the difference is astounding. I think much comes down to jealousy, some to the point of vindictiveness. There's precious little evidence of any cognitive understanding how farming and farms work. It's a unique business model that actually feeds us through hard relentless graft

Ok Rosie, as I’m apparently ignorant, jealous and vindictive, please explain to me why farmers’ children deserve to inherit their parents’ farm more than my daughter deserves to inherit our family home.

I’m all ears - even in my ignorance, jealousy and vindictiveness.

SueDonim

Stella said Actually I agree with the Economist who said it should be 100% public services, public housing, parks and other public areas could then be so well funded than no one would need to inherit to have a good life!

What would be the point of going to work, then, if everything was provided FOC?

I do not want to live in a simile of North Korea!

I want to live in the U.K. which should encourage people to be the best version of themselves, and earn a living wage along with moving upwards and onwards.

Stella said Actually I agree with the Economist who said it should be 100% public services, public housing, parks and other public areas could then be so well funded than no one would need to inherit to have a good life!

What would be the point of going to work, then, if everything was provided FOC?

vegansrock

Trouble is a lot of the land that is currently free from IHT is not productive land - it’s land used for horses or pets or just left as an investment or a tax avoidance scheme.

Then tighten up the rules, but don't take a sledgehammer to all who own and work the land!

Farmers are more than Jeremy Clarkson.

This quote from someone directly affected from the BBC website

Three generations of the Lathan family have come to Westminster today, 86-year-old Robin, his son Phil, and his 15-year-old grandson Sam, who live on a dairy farm in Cheshire.
Phil tells me: “Dad's 86 and there's no time for him to take advice. And as for the seven year gifting rule, it’s unlikely at his age that he will get to the other side of that.
"And so inheriting the farm is going to cost me a fortune which threatens the viability of the business. The remarks that we get that its £3m - well it is not.
"Dad’s single, Mum died when I was 13. Sam's 15. He's desperate to be a farmer. And that's why we've come down.”

This £3m bandied about is the absolute upper figure if you fulfil all the criteria.

Trouble is a lot of the land that is currently free from IHT is not productive land - it’s land used for horses or pets or just left as an investment or a tax avoidance scheme.

Allira

LizzieDrip

I still don’t get why it’s so ‘tragic’ for farmers to ‘be unable to pass on their inheritance to their offspring’ but it’s OK that thousands of people are forced to sell their homes to pay for care in their old age … they are also ‘unable to pass on their inheritance to their offspring’.

No protests for them!

No comparison at all.

A parents' home will be sold, a family farm will pass down through the generations, producing food for you and others.

So little understanding on here of food production, it is quite frightening!

Well said * Allira*! The total ignorance to not understand the difference is astounding. I think much comes down to jealousy, some to the point of vindictiveness. There's precious little evidence of any cognitive understanding how farming and farms work. It's a unique business model that actually feeds us through hard relentless graft.

GrannyGravy13

All I can see on this thread is little understanding of rural communities.

Not everyone with a 4 X 4 is as rich as Croesus.

Of course not, most are set against tax as a business expense. I live in a rural community, farming is a tough life for those that actually farm but so are lots of other occupations and they can be much less rewarding however people still pay their taxes. Many farms have struggled recently, they got hit by the increase in oil prices, can't get labour for the abattoirs which really affected pig farmers, the weather has been dreadful (climate change is really damaging crops as well as affecting stock) avian flu has affected the chicken/turkey farmers as well as those who breed birds for sport. They really have had a rubbish time so what you are seeing is a reaction to all that and the Conservatives did a poor job in replacing the EU farming subsidies. I'd be cross if I were a farmer but the fact remains, it's the really wealthy land owners who will get hit by this change in IHT not most farmers! They need help in running a viable business which is very different to being given special consideration when it comes to IHT. Lets focus on helping farmers who are alive rather than those who are dead!

A parents' home will be sold, a family farm will pass down through the generations, producing food for you and others

So, those inheriting a farm are more deserving than those unable to inherit their parents’ home?

They can be very sad, though, Jeanathome.
DH and a friend went to one last year, it wasn't a good send-off.

Allira

Jeanathome

Apparently it's tough when you are bereaved to have to deal with.

What is also tough is finding the money for a funeral.

Pauper's funerals are provided by the LA.

Good to know.

all I can see on this thread is little understanding of rural communities

Yes indeed.

If food became limited there’d be a swift learning curve for some people.

public services, public housing, public parks, public everything

Good grief! That’s Communism!

No thanks.

(Why do you think the Berlin Wall and Communism in Eastern Europe fell?)

Ps I don't blame him, in fact it's a relief.

GrannyGravy13

Allira I agree, food production is vital.

When a farm has been in the same family for generations the knowledge is invaluable.

SIL's family have been farmers for several generations.
DGS said he does not want to farm.

GranPepp

ExDancer

Even if we have a change of government in the next few years, I doubt the farmers tax will be rescinded, its such a good money spinner. Small farms will disappear as sons won't be able to take on the family farms.
However, they now intend to build houses on greenfield sites so there soon won't be enough land left to grow food - you can't plough and sow on the mountain sides can you?
I hope the farmers bring their old smelly manure spreaders without cleaning them and drop mud and muck all over Whitehall.
History should tell them, if they look back at the start of WW2 when we almost ran out of food because we imported so much of it.

Bring it on 🫣 - substandard houses on greenfield that cannot ever grow crops again. Oh but we can just import food (chlorinated chicken) so it's fine 🤔. It's not even this generation of farmers (although it is a worry). Once their children sell off land to pay inheritance tax, making their farm smaller, what happens when the next generation dies and the grandchildren have to sell off even more land so the farm is even smaller, it's surrounded by the housing built on the previously sold off land. I am not a farmer. I am not and have never been connected to a farmer. Farmers grow our food. For heaven's sake, for food security, working farms must be passed down to next generation to grow our food. (if they don't or stop growing our food, that may be a different story)

GranPepp 👏👏👏

At least someone gets the point!

All I can see on this thread is little understanding of rural communities.

Not everyone with a 4 X 4 is as rich as Croesus.

Allira I agree, food production is vital.

When a farm has been in the same family for generations the knowledge is invaluable.

Tilly8

I always find it interesting when certain communities of our society talk about their children’s inheritance. Looking back, not that very far, government never gave a second thought to ripping away the “job inheritance “ for miner’s sons, steel worker’s sons, dockers sons, etc. No group of people are exempt from major changes that affect communities for generations. This is a battle the farmers will lose even though they are convinced they are a special case.

Honestly!

Did miners, steelworkers, dockers inherit their fathers' jobs?
Did they produce one essential to life - food?

😂😂😂

Jeanathome

Apparently it's tough when you are bereaved to have to deal with.

What is also tough is finding the money for a funeral.

Pauper's funerals are provided by the LA.