Up to 400 tractors are expected to take part in one of the processions to be held across the north later this month in protest at agricultural inheritance tax rule changes.
The rallies are to be held in each of the north’s six counties on Saturday January 25 by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), which has strongly criticised the plans by the British government to impose inheritance tax on UK farms worth more than £1 million, with a 20% rate on assets above that threshold.
It has been warned that around half of all farms in the north could be impacted by the proposed changes, which have been introduced by Labour in a bid to plug a £22bn hole in public finances.
The reforms of the agricultural property relief policy - which currently means farmland is exempt from inheritance tax - are due to come into force in April 2026, and have sparked protests by farmers in Britain.
In November, thousands of farmers attended a UFU organised rally against the proposals at the Eikon Exhibition Centre outside Lisburn.
That venue, which each year hosts the north’s largest agricultural gathering, the Balmoral Show, will be a starting point for one of the six rallies on January 25, departing at 12.20pm.
The Co Down rally will see an expected 400 tractors make their way from Balmoral Park outside Lisburn to Banbridge, and as of last Friday, is the only procession out of the planned six for which an application had been made to the Parades Commission.
Parade organisers are required to give notification to the commission no less than 28 days before the planned date. However, Section 6 of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 states that “if that is not reasonably practicable”, notification should be provided “as soon as it is reasonably practicable”.
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The notification of the Co Down parade was received by the Parades Commission last Wednesday, and shows 400 tractors are expected to take part.
It is understood other rallies will depart from locations including Ballymena Livestock Market and the NFU Mutual office in Armagh.
Full details of the rallies are expected to be released by the UFU this week.
UFU president William Irvine said the proposed tax changes are a “direct threat to the sustainability of our family farms and the livelihoods of over 24,000 farming families across Northern Ireland”.
