Poet and farmer Liz Haynes (Image: Liz Haynes)
A farmer has told how she does not “know what the future holds” following the Government’s inheritance tax raid.
Liz Haynes, 57, has lived on a hill farm with Swaledale sheep in Stanhope, Co Durham, with her partner Martin Hutchinson for the past 22 years.
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The farm is owned by his 85-year-old uncle John Gray.
Liz, who has penned a poem detailing the uncertainty caused by Labour’s announcement at October’s budget, said: “The main thing for us personally is insecurity. I get frustrated when I hear straight away ‘just get an accountant and it will all be fine’. Our family farm belongs to my partner’s uncle. He’s an 85-year-old bachelor. He has no time to do any financial planning. I suppose you hadn’t factored that into the future that you would have that sizable bill to pay.
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“I am worried about the future. You would definitely have to sell part of it to sort that out. Are you then viable as a commercial farm because then you wouldn’t have enough land.
“We’ve been doing the correct things for many many years either through tradition or embracing an environmental scheme and now the key word is uncertain. I just don’t know what the future holds.”
Liz and Martin's son Joe Hutchinson, 21, helps out on the farm when he's home from university.
When asked about whether he might one day take over the farm, Liz said: "I really don't think it would be viable for him. It wouldn't be in the current position for him,
"The uncertainty of the sector means he's uncertain about where his future lies."
Liz also raised concerns about Rachel Reeves’s changes to environmental subsidy schemes.
The Chancellor proposed to accelerate the end of direct support payments.
Liz, a former primary school teacher, said: “It seems to me the government’s announcement about the inheritance tax has overshadowed what they are doing with basic farm subsidies.
“They are being reduced by 76% and while they boast about giving ￡5 billion to agriculture. I wonder where it is going?
“Because we have always been proactive about the wildlife on the farm. We have a lot of wading birds in the Spring and Summer.
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“We entered into a countryside stewardship scheme years ago with very low payments but it was something we wanted to do. Now are unable to enter into any new schemes.
“The basic farm payment has always formed a large part of our income and it is hard to see how we will manage without it.”
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In the midst of all this worry about the future of farming, Liz has had her poetry book A Pease Myers Pastoral published by the Caldew Press.
It is a collection of poems about her time on the hill farm in the North Pennines
Liz said: “It shines a light on the often harsh reality of farming and explores the conflict between the beauty of the landscape I live and work in, and the relentless struggle of farming here.”