Farmers ‘plot to stage sewage strike’ over Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax raid

Farmers are threatening to launch a coordinated “sewage strike”, furious at Government plans to scrap agricultural property relief.

Agricultural workers have reportedly taken to online forums to discuss the possibility of refusing to spread sewage sludge, also known as biosolids or humanure, a fertiliser made from human waste, in response to Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax raid.

Workers in the sector have been discussing how to respond to the Budget on online forums, with one farmer urging others to get in touch with their sludge suppliers and inform them that deliveries will cease temporarily.

Some claimed in the comments to have reached out to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to try and get their backing for the proposed move. The NFU declined to comment when approached by the paper.

A Dartmoor farmer wrote: “If you truly want to be seen to put your children’s futures first, then now this week is the time to phone your sludge supplier [and] put a temporary halt on all deliveries.

“If enough of you do this, we have a reasonable chance of changing government policy. If you don’t, we have no hope at all and will only have ourselves to blame,” he added.

Plans to block sludge spreading could cause chaos and logistical issues for sewage disposal companies, potentially causing build-ups of pungent waste, The Telegraph reports.

If enough people took part in the plan, companies might have to incinerate or toss the waste in landfills, landowners suggested.

Some contributors suggested those who don’t take part in the boycott should be named and shamed, with one saying: “If farmers of all sizes aren’t prepared to stick together [and] use the one effective costless weapon that we do have then there is no hope for any of us, the names [and] addresses of farmers continuing to take this sludge should be widely reported.

Others noted that the move would be unlikely to trigger an immediate crisis as not much sludge is spread on fields at this point in the calendar.

Each year, farmers take some 3.5 million tons of the sludge off the hands off the water treatment firms who produce it, with around 87% of treated sludge recycled to agricultural land as a soil improver, according to Water UK.

It’s a beneficial arrangement for both parties, saving the companies the cost of disposing of it – and lessening the environmental impact – and giving farmers a sustainable source of nutrient-rich fertiliser. In some cases, farmers even pay for the waste.

But though it’s often referred to as “rock fuel for crops”, there are concerns from environmentalists about the impact of some chemicals found in it.

It comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in Labour’s budget that, though there would still be no inheritance tax due on combined business and agricultural assets worth less than £1m, assets valued above £1m would have 50% relief, at an effective rate of 20%, starting from April 2026, as per BBC News.

Many more farmers were previously given a tax break under Agricultural Property Relief (APR) – a policy specifically designed to protect family-run farms by reducing the tax burden they face, so they don’t have to sell their main income source to pay the bill.

Last week, The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the government will “never forget that farmers are the beating heart of this country,” insisting its commitment to farmers is “steadfast”. “This Government’s commitment to farmers is steadfast,” the department said.

Farmers now say only the smallest farms will be covered, and their children may have to consider another trade as the inheritance tax hike will make taking on many family farms unviable.

A government spokesperson said: “The Government’s commitment to our farmers remains steadfast. It’s why we have committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years – more money than ever for sustainable food production.

“We understand concerns about changes to Agricultural Property Relief and the Defra Secretary of State and Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw today.

“Ministers made clear that the vast majority of those claiming relief will not be affected by these changes. They will be able to pass the family farm down to their children just as previous generations have always done.

“This is a fair and balanced approach that protects the family farm while also fixing the public services that we all rely on. We remain committed to working with the NFU and listening to farmers.”

A spokesperson for trade association Water UK said: “The use of biosolids on agricultural land is long established and highly regulated. Strong safeguards are in place and the industry works closely with regulators and Government to ensure these safeguards adapt to emerging challenges.”