A young British farmer has issued a stark warning that changes to inheritance tax could "kill family farming" and threaten the nation's food production capabilities.
Farmers are staging a fresh tractor protest outside Parliament today as opposition continues against Labour's planned inheritance tax changes for agricultural land.
Cameron Kinch told GB News that inheritance tax changes are "fundamental to our way of life" as farmers face mounting pressures from supermarkets and shifting subsidies.
"The changes to inheritance tax are so fundamental to our way of life. How we farm, letting the next generation come on, taking over from your parents, it's fundamental," Kinch said.
Kinch highlighted the substantial land requirements for modern British farming operations.
"In this country, to be a livestock farmer, you need about 300 acres sort of minimum. And an arable farm, you're looking at about 500 minimum," he explained.
The scale of these operations creates significant inheritance tax challenges.
"About 100 acres equates to about £1million. So we very quickly rise up to the inheritance tax thresholds," Kinch said.
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He emphasised that farm assets generate minimal returns, saying: "The investment we have on our farms are our assets make very little, and that's that's how we keep food production in this country low and cheap."
The inheritance tax burden poses a particular threat to young farmers entering the industry, according to Kinch.
"I'm on the farm with my father and grandfather, you work for very little pay as a farmer's son, that's the rough deal, but you get the farm one day," he said.
Kinch added: "God forbid, when the time does come when my parents die, we're going to be slapped with a massive inheritance tax bill, which we can't pay."
The impact of inheritance tax could force farmers to sell portions of their land just to meet tax obligations, as Kinch revealed he would be forced to sell the land he inherits to pay the bills.
He said: "We would have to sell off land to pay it. That would mean our farm would become less productive and less sustainable, because we would have less land to do what we can, and we'd have to close the farm, essentially."
The long-term implications for British agriculture could be severe.
"Eventually farming will die out in this country as we know it," Kinch cautioned.
Kinch concluded with a direct appeal to Britain's political leadership. "Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are in there at the minute, in Downing Street. Listen to us, learn where your food comes from and give us some slack," he urged.
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Farmers are staging a fresh tractor protest outside Parliament today as opposition continues against Labour's planned inheritance tax changes for agricultural land.
Cameron Kinch told GB News that inheritance tax changes are "fundamental to our way of life" as farmers face mounting pressures from supermarkets and shifting subsidies.
"The changes to inheritance tax are so fundamental to our way of life. How we farm, letting the next generation come on, taking over from your parents, it's fundamental," Kinch said.
Kinch highlighted the substantial land requirements for modern British farming operations.
"In this country, to be a livestock farmer, you need about 300 acres sort of minimum. And an arable farm, you're looking at about 500 minimum," he explained.
The scale of these operations creates significant inheritance tax challenges.
"About 100 acres equates to about £1million. So we very quickly rise up to the inheritance tax thresholds," Kinch said.
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He emphasised that farm assets generate minimal returns, saying: "The investment we have on our farms are our assets make very little, and that's that's how we keep food production in this country low and cheap."
The inheritance tax burden poses a particular threat to young farmers entering the industry, according to Kinch.
"I'm on the farm with my father and grandfather, you work for very little pay as a farmer's son, that's the rough deal, but you get the farm one day," he said.
Kinch added: "God forbid, when the time does come when my parents die, we're going to be slapped with a massive inheritance tax bill, which we can't pay."
The impact of inheritance tax could force farmers to sell portions of their land just to meet tax obligations, as Kinch revealed he would be forced to sell the land he inherits to pay the bills.
He said: "We would have to sell off land to pay it. That would mean our farm would become less productive and less sustainable, because we would have less land to do what we can, and we'd have to close the farm, essentially."
The long-term implications for British agriculture could be severe.
"Eventually farming will die out in this country as we know it," Kinch cautioned.
Kinch concluded with a direct appeal to Britain's political leadership. "Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are in there at the minute, in Downing Street. Listen to us, learn where your food comes from and give us some slack," he urged.
Find Out More...