‘The message has to get through’: Caithness farmers in show of unity over tax plans
“No farmers, no food” was the stark message as more than 50 tractors descended on John O’Groats as part of a nationwide series of protests over controversial taxation plans.
Sunday’s rally was attended by an estimated 150 members of the agricultural community who are deeply concerned about what they see as a threat to the viability of family farms.
Many gathered around the John O’Groats signpost in a show of unity against the UK government’s proposed changes to inheritance tax. Local MP Jamie Stone also attended and called on the government to “recognise this problem” or farmers could be put out of business.
The rally was among a number of events organised by NFU Scotland and the other UK farming unions in response to Labour’s inheritance tax measures. Under the plans, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m, which were previously exempt, will be liable to the tax at 20 per cent from April 2026.
At least 52 tractors were lined up in the John O’Groats car park as the rally got under way at noon.
Stephen Sutherland, chairman of the Caithness branch of NFU Scotland, said: “I’m delighted with how many people have turned out. It just shows what it means to everyone and that it is a major issue.
“I definitely think the message has to get through, by the amount of support there is. Folk in government must realise that it’s a bigger issue than they ever dreamt.
“We didn’t come just for a day out. Folk have given up their time to come along because it’s something that really is concerning them.”
Mr Sutherland runs a 2000-acre farming operation, Sibmister and Stainland farms, with his brother Kenneth Jnr and their father Kenneth Snr.
Arnott Coghill, of Skinnet Farm, Halkirk, the previous Caithness chairman of NFU Scotland, said: “This government is hitting us every way they can. It’s not just the inheritance tax.”
He pointed to the high costs of haulage and fuel as well as the planned carbon tax on fertiliser.
“It’s not as if farmers are not being taxed – we pay tax the same as everybody else,” Mr Coghill said. “It’s trying to make a living with the cost of everything.
“It’s an unfair playing field that we’re working in here.”
On inheritance tax specifically, Mr Coghill said: “It’s a long game we’re at with farming. When you buy a farm it’s a three-generation thing, really, before you get it paid for.
“You can see that by the return on the amount of money that’s invested. Most people will be buying a farm thinking it will certainly be the next generation that will be paying for the other half of it.
“You’ve got costs coming in the whole time. All these tractors here, these are big-ticket items. And there’s no word that we’re helping the economy on that side of things.”
Some of the bigger tractors can cost £150,000 or more to buy new, he pointed out. “And that only gets you the tractor – you need machines then to go on the back.”
Mr Coghill added: “We’d like this government to pay a little more attention to farmers.
“We’re not so bad in Scotland because the Scottish Government is looking after us slightly better. The English farmers are getting hit more than us, because their support is being hit.
“That is just a straightforward reduction in income.”
Steven Pottinger, of Barrock Mains, Lyth, warned that the country would go hungry without the farming industry.
“Farmers have been working for fairly reasonable sorts of incomes but recently the value of the farms has shot up, and it’s nothing related to the actual return that you’re getting out of farming,” Mr Pottinger said.
“If it was the values of 20 years ago we would pay the tax and probably survive it. But because the price has been artificially raised by corporate investment and people involved purely for tax-dodging, and also for planting trees, it’s unrealistic as regards the effective return that farming has.
“Basically they are thinking they can do without farming in this country and import the food from all parts of the world more cheaply.
“They’ll find out in the long term it won’t work and the country will be hungry.”
Donnie Budge, of Brae-Edge, Castletown, had a sign proclaiming “No farmers, no food” attached to the front of his tractor.
He maintained that the government’s taxation plans were flawed.
“It has not been thought out right,” Mr Budge said. “They are getting their food too easily and they don’t worry about how it’s produced.
“We’re doing the work and they are just trying to make a fool of us. We can’t lie down or they’ll put something else on us next week.”
Lynn Sinclair, who comes from a farming family at Clachan, Mid-Clyth, works for the NFU Mutual insurance company and is also part of NFU Scotland.
She said: “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a small farm that you have or a very large farm, it’s all very important to everyone.
“Obviously, looking to the future, we need to get this inheritance tax sorted out to help protect our up-and-coming generations.
“It’s amazing the turnout that we’ve had – it’s really, really good to see the number of people that have come here to show their support.”
In a short speech at the John O’Groats signpost, Stephen Sutherland thanked John O’Groats Development Trust for allowing the farmers and their tractors to take over the car park. Collections were made in aid of the John O’Groats playpark project and Caithness Foodbank.
Rallies had originally been planned for Saturday, January 25. However, the union postponed these at a late stage so that farmers in some parts of the country could focus on clear-up operations following Storm Éowyn.
Events took place across Scotland over the first weekend of February instead.