The National Farmer’s Union (NFU) have announced it will stage a ‘National Day of Unity’ on January 25, as they intensify their lobbying efforts on government to revoke the controversial family farm tax that they claim, will devastate family farms across the country.
On January 25, farmers across the UK will join forces to thank the British public for the support during their ongoing campaign against the prospective tax and to remind parliamentarians, that they will continue to protest until the tax is subject to consultation and proper scrutiny.
This coincides with the launch of NFU’s nationwide banner campaign on December 19, which has resulted in large posters brandishing the campaign’s central message, ‘Stop The Family Farm Tax’, being erected on farmland up and down the country.
Designed to be highly visible in key political constituencies, the aim is to focus public attention and build political pressure on the “devastating impact” these changes would have on farming families and rural communities, should they come into effect.
National Day of Unity
The NFU will join NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers’ Union for the National Day of Unity, which will vary across the regions but will serve a united front under three universal messages, which consist of:
- “This tax is badly thought out and will crush family farming in Britain;
- “The wonderful support of the public means everything to farmers;
- “We are not going away. This will go on as long as it needs to go on.”
Upon making the announcement, NFU President,Tom Bradshaw said: “Farmers haven’t taken this destructive policy lying down and we won’t give up. There is too much at risk – our families, our future, our heritage and the undermining of the very sector that produces a safe, secure supply of British food.
“This date will give everyone that wants to, an opportunity to support family farms from right across the UK, to show unity and strength, and for farmers and growers to speak as one in our call for government to stop the family farm tax.
“We are so grateful to members of the British public for their ongoing support on this issue. It is not just a day for the farming community to show unity, but anyone who believes Britain’s family farms, and the high quality food they produce, deserve to be better valued and supported.”
According to NFU, details of the individual events in each respective region will be published in due course by various NFU regional farming leaders.
