Jim Allister MP pictured with local farmers taking part in todays Tractor Rally protest
North Antrim MP Jim Allister (TUV) has congratulated farmers on a huge turnout at today’s Tractor Rally in Ballymena.
The event was organised by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) to highlight the concerns of farming families across Northern Ireland over the government’s introduction of the Family Farm Tax.
What is the Family Farm Tax?
At the moment, farmland is exempt from inheritance tax under a policy called “Agricultural Property Relief” (APR). In the Budget, the Chancellor announced that she will end that exemption by restricting APR.
The cut to APR will mean that from April 2026, a tax of 20% will apply to agricultural assets over £1 million. (Because of the existing tax-free threshold for inheritance tax, two parents leaving a farm to their children could potentially limit the tax to assets over £3 million.)
Commenting at today’s event TUV Leader Jim Allister, said:
“It was marvellous to see the huge turnouts at today’s Farmers’ Protest over the Government’s punitive death tax on family farms.
“I attended the Ballymena protest in which over 300 tractors took part. It was great to see the determination among farmers to keep the pressure on the government over this vital issue.
“I will continue the fight on their behalf despite the size of the government’s majority, believing that in the end this ruinous policy is unsustainable. With farmers united across the United Kingdom on the issue, the government must be made to continue to feel the pressure until they retreat from burying family farms under the weight of their greedy death taxes.”