The inheritance tax imposed by the Labour government has sparked significant concerns among farmers, particularly those managing small and medium-sized farms. These operations, often family-run, bear the brunt of such policies more acutely than large agricultural enterprises or corporate agribusinesses.

Larger entities can marshal resources to navigate or mitigate tax burdens, while smaller farms, operating on thinner margins, find such policies potentially devastating. This disparity exemplifies the systemic challenges facing family farms under current government policies.

Alex Heffron, a farmer, and advocate for sustainable agriculture, shared his perspective on the inheritance tax issue, its impact on farmers, and its broader implications for rural communities and progressive movements. His insights offer a vital window into the struggles of farmers today.

Government Policies and Family Farms

Historically, government policies have played a pivotal role in reshaping the rural landscape, often to the detriment of small-scale farming. The capitalist transformation of the countryside alienated rural populations, consolidating land into fewer hands and forcing many into urban centres. This legacy, rooted in the Industrial Revolution, endures as the next generation faces soaring housing costs and limited local employment opportunities.

Modern pressures such as volatile markets and inadequate support for agroecological practices exacerbate this alienation. For young people raised in rural areas, maintaining ties to their communities and heritage becomes increasingly difficult. The Labour government’s recent budget, including the contentious inheritance tax reforms, intensifies these challenges.

Alex explained, “Realistically, farmers are under a lot of economic pressure, and the Labour government has only intensified that with the recent budget. The inheritance tax is a major issue, as it threatens the survival of many working farms. They feel like they’re fighting for their survival.”

He added, “The problem with the new policies is that they don’t consider the growing economic challenges at the heart of today’s agriculture. If we want farms to meet the needs of a green transition, they need substantial financial support. Whilst farms may be worth a lot on paper, profitability is very low.”

The challenges facing rural communities today reflect historical continuities, where industrial and economic policies prioritise profit over people. Without decisive intervention, the future of the countryside – and the communities sustaining it – remains precarious.

Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide

There is a growing recognition that urban communities often misunderstand or overlook the challenges faced by farmers. This disconnect stems from a long history of urbanisation and rural depopulation. The left has a critical role in addressing this divide, fostering solidarity between urban and rural workers. Engaging with movements such as agroecology and food sovereignty can build bridges, but it requires overcoming perceptions of these movements as niche or overly romanticised. Instead, they must be framed as integral to a broader struggle for equitable food systems and environmental sustainability.

Alex noted, “Inevitably alienation occurs in a country with such a small farming population today, due to the history of the capitalist development of the countryside, where populations were cleared and forced into cities. The left needs to find ways to overcome this divide. It will take time, but it’s essential if we are to build a cohesive movement.”

He elaborated, “Sometimes I think the broader left dismisses the agroecology and food sovereignty movement as being somewhat romantic, and in the process misunderstands the composition of the movement and its aims. A movement with its own problems, as to be expected, but one that nonetheless is mostly on the left.”

Alex stressed, “the left needs to engage more in struggles over land and with farming because it is fundamental to struggles over a liveable future. There are opportunities to work with farmers towards an agroecological transition, but not if we just continue to attack all of them. Farmers need to know that not all the left hates them.”

Exploring the Role of the Left: Resisting the Far Right

Farmer protests against inheritance tax are primarily driven by economic survival rather than ideological reactionism. However, there is a clear risk of these movements being co-opted by far-right narratives. Figures like Jeremy Clarkson, leveraging agrarian populism, and parties like Reform UK aim to align farmers with nationalist projects. The left must critique these narratives and offer compelling alternatives that address farmers’ immediate concerns while advancing progressive, inclusive politics.

Alex commented, “At the moment, the protests are focused on narrower economistic aims like challenging the farm inheritance tax. While these aren’t inherently reactionary, there’s a risk of them politicising further to the right. Popular figures like Clarkson are already trying to push the narrative in that direction.”

He warned, “The far right are already capitalising upon farmers’ frustrations and grievances which can only boost parties like Reform UK. That’s why it’s crucial for the left to engage farmers and not out of hand dismiss them all as petite bourgeois reactionaries.”

Building an Ecosocialist Vision

An ecosocialist vision for farming would prioritise the survival and prosperity of smaller farmers and farm workers while addressing the biodiversity crisis and transitioning land use to meet ecological and social needs. This involves rejecting reliance on food imports and championing domestic production within a framework of sustainability.

Alex remarked, “The work we need to do is building an alternative vision that allows farming to continue while addressing ecological concerns. Solutions must support working farms and farm workers while increasing domestic food production and addressing the biodiversity crisis by repairing ecosystems. Agroecology provides the path forward – now the wider left must engage.”

He emphasised, “Relying on the rest of the world for almost half of our food is an imperialist ‘solution.’”

Reframing the Farmer

As Alex explained to me, the term “farmer” encompasses a heterogeneous social category, often masking the complexities of rural class dynamics. Many farmers are no longer small-scale operators but part of a system favouring landowners over land workers. The agroecology movement must move beyond romanticised notions of the ‘small farmer’ and focus on radicalising land workers.

Alex added, “The agroecology movement relies too much on a romanticised notion of the ‘small farmer,’ which barely exists today. Capital has eroded this category to the point where a small farm can now mean hundreds of acres. We need a deeper understanding of rural class dynamics.”

He elaborated, “Ultimately what is required are land reforms that take us beyond the regime of private property, which is so fundamental to the rule of capital. It will need to be a slow, gradual process, but it’s essential for ecosocialists to be engaged in this. We need to move towards a system where land workers gain control. Otherwise, concentration of land ownership will only get worse over time.”

Building Urban-Rural Solidarity: Addressing Misconceptions

Urban communities often perceive farming as either an outdated lifestyle or an environmentally harmful industry. Addressing these misconceptions requires education and dialogue. Highlighting the challenges of farming – economic pressures, land access, and environmental responsibilities – can foster mutual understanding and solidarity.

Alex observed, “Some of the left dismiss the agroecology and food sovereignty movement as romantic or niche. There is some truth to this but it’s not the full picture. These movements are critical parts of a collective struggle that requires broader engagement. We can’t just wait until “after the revolution” to start thinking about something as basic and important as food production and the management of landscapes.”

Opportunities for Collaboration: A Progressive Farming Future

Significant potential exists for collaboration between rural farmers and urban workers, particularly around land reform and ecological sustainability. Reframing issues like inheritance tax within a broader context of wealth redistribution and land access can align rural and urban interests, creating a united front against systemic inequality.

Brexit has further complicated the challenges faced by farmers. Reduced access to European markets and subsidies has heightened economic pressures, leaving many feeling abandoned. The left must articulate a vision that addresses these challenges, advocating for fair taxation and subsidy systems that support sustainable farming and rural development.

A progressive farming community would champion policies balancing economic viability with ecological responsibility. By engaging with movements like agroecology and addressing systemic rural challenges, the left can build a cohesive agenda for agriculture and food security in the UK.

Listening to farmers’ voices reveals the complex challenges and opportunities within rural communities. Ignoring these perspectives risks alienating a crucial part of society. Bridging urban-rural divides is essential to creating a transformative political movement that addresses systemic inequalities and builds a sustainable future.

Art Book Review Books Capitalism China Climate Emergency Conservative Government Conservative Party COVID-19 Economics EcoSocialism Elections Europe Fascism Film Film Review France Gaza Imperialism Israel Italy Keir Starmer Labour Party Long Read Marxism Palestine pandemic Protest Russia Solidarity Statement Trade Unionism Ukraine United States of America War