I have never seen such widespread anger, betrayal and despair in my life, writes National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw

When the announcement of the family farm tax came out of the blue last month, I’m sure the Government expected a grumble from farmers. NFU President Tom Bradshaw speaks at a National Farmers Union event in Westminster on November 19 Thousands of farmers holding banners and placards, gathered on Downing Street last month to protest against inheritance tax changes in London The government has insisted that the majority of farms would be unaffected by the changes and up to £3million can be passed on by two people free of inheritance tax Today, the issue is front and centre in Parliament for the Opposition Day debate. But the National Farmers Union has said many British farmers are under threat A government minister has warned that the country was ready in the eventuality of a 'food strike' before Christmas The Treasury has significantly underestimated the scale of the impact on British farming and food production for the nation, writes Tom Bradshaw Farmers will not sit quietly by in the countryside and let this go, Tom Bradshaw says This has always been the unspoken covenant between farming and government – we’ll get on with producing the food, whatever the challenges and often for little financial reward, and in return you ensure our family farms can be sustained. What really rubs salt in the wound is that this policy won’t even stop wealthy people buying up farmland to avoid inheritance tax, which ministers say is the point, as the 20 per cent level is still more attractive to them than the alternatives.