They travelled to Westminster to meet the region's MPs to highlight the impact proposed inheritance tax changes will have on farming families and businesses.
Every meeting room in the Houses of Parliament was booked for farmer meetings, with extra space allocated in Westminster Hall. MPs also came to Church House, the NFU’s base for the day, to hear members’ concerns about the family farm tax.
As well as meeting MPs, many NFU East members joined thousands of farmers and supporters in a rally, with speakers including Jeremy Clarkson, Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch and NFU President Tom Bradshaw.
Norfolk livestock farmer James Runciman was among Norfolk farmers who met Broadland and Fakenham MP Jerome Mayhew.
He said: “We’re making no money at all. I have £1 million of capital machinery sitting there and it does make you question whether we’re better off getting rid of it all and having a better life somewhere.
“We’re seen as wealthy farmers, when that’s just not the case. It seems to be the politics of envy.
“The aim today is to start the ball rolling and hopefully build an alliance among everyone who will be affected
by this.”
Surrey farmer Nellie Budd joined fellow farmers in a meeting with Dorking and Horley MP Chris Coghlan.
“It might not affect our farm directly, but it will affect the industry and we need to work together. Every farm is different, and we all have our different opinions but on this we stand united,” she said.
“One of the comments is it’s ‘just’ 500 farms a year affected. There’s no just about it. Every farm is important. The emotional, mental effect it has on people losing a family farm, their family business – that’s what this is all about.”
'This is about getting our story across to MPs'
NFU Cambridgeshire County Chair Alison Morris was part of a delegation meeting Steve Barclay MP, the Defra Secretary of State in the previous government.
“There was a mixture of tenants and landowners there and it was an opportunity to get across how many constituents have been affected by this Budget,” she said.
“This is all about getting our story across to MPs, and to the public. If you take a combine harvester in a field of wheat, that’s your £1 million threshold immediately.
“Farmers are not mega rich but land costs and machinery costs are so high.”
Suffolk County Chair Glenn Buckingham said: “Today demonstrates the collective strength of a membership organisation and the total realisation that these tax proposals fail so many people. They are incredibly damaging to the agricultural sector and family farms.”
'Day of action is just the start'
Regional Board Chair Alan Clifton-Holt said: “Thousands of people came to London to passionately and respectfully fight for the future of British farming. People’s behaviour, at both the NFU’s mass lobbying event and the rally through the streets of London, was impeccable and a credit to everyone involved.
“The turnout of both farmers and members of the public shows the strength of feeling about the poorly thought out and hugely damaging decisions made by the new government in the Budget.
“It must go back and reassess this catastrophic decision. We will not give up and allow this to happen. This day of action in London is just the start.”