Farmers tractors protests which looked like bringing six Northern Ireland cities and towns to standstill are in doubt because no applications have been made to the Parades Commission.
The planned tractor runs are due to take place on Saturday January 25, as part of a ‘Day of Action’ by UK farmers opposing the controversial changes to rules on agricultural inheritance tax being introduced by the Labour government.
The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) recently announced plans for tractor rallies to take place on the same day as protests held by farming unions in Great Britain.
The unions have warned that imposing inheritance tax on UK farms worth over £1 million, with a 20% rate on assets above that threshold, could lead threaten family farms and even impact food production.
Half the farms in Northern Ireland could be affected.
The British government has said the changes are needed to plug a £22bn hole in public finances, and said most farms will not be affected.
Announcing its plans for tractor rallies to take place across the six counties, the UFU said the events are “simply the next step, with more action to follow in the lead up to the (UK Chancellor’s) spring statement”. The UFU has yet to announced the six protest locations.
In November, the UFU hosted over 6,000 farmers and landowners at a gathering to protest the looming tax changes at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Balmoral Park, Lisburn, where the north’s largest agricultural event, the Balmoral Show, is held annually.
“This only stops when changes are made that uphold our proud farming legacy and the family farm structure that defines us,” UFU president William Irvine said of further protests.
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However, it has emerged that the Parades Commission has not received any applications for the tractor rallies to take place later this month.
Organisers of parades in Northern Ireland must notify the body - founded in 1998 with the authority to place restrictions on contentious marches, such as those held by the loyal orders in certain areas - no less than 28 days before the planned date.
A spokesperson for the Parades Commission said: “The Commission has not received any notification of intention to organise a public procession by or on behalf of the Ulster Farmers Union for 25 January 2025.
“The definition of ‘public procession’ as set out in the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 includes processions involving the use of vehicles.”
The Irish News approached the UFU for comment.
Stormont’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has warned that up to half of all farms in the north could be affected by the family farm tax.
