Farmers For Action NI has staged a new protest outside a Tesco Extra store in Antrim as part of its ongoing campaign against proposed changes to Inheritance Tax (IHT) and wider pressure on farm incomes.
The demonstration, which the group is calling the second phase of its protests, is part of an ongoing series of events aimed at drawing attention to its impact on tax policy and profitability challenges for family farms.
The protests in Northern Ireland come amid growing farmer-led demonstrations across the UK, with groups holding protests at supermarket depots in some parts of England from January to February 2026.
These actions focus on large retailers and distribution hubs, with campaigners seeking to highlight concerns about Farmgate’s low returns, rising costs and the future viability of family farming.
Farmers and tractors turned out in Antrim despite the bad weather, and organizers highlighted the strong support from young farmers and their families.
FFA representative William Taylor praised those in attendance, saying, “Despite the terrible weather, the young farmers and their tractors who came out with their families deserve a lot of credit.”
He said protesters were keen to distribute information outside stores and interact directly with shoppers.
“The lads couldn’t wait to get off the tractor and start handing out leaflets to Tesco shoppers,” he says.
FFA said more than 200 leaflets were distributed during the protest, with campaigners claiming the action was well received by the public.
Sean McCauley of Farmers for Action said inheritance tax remained a key concern, but argued broader issues around farm profitability were also causing frustration across the industry.
“When you talk to young farmers at the protests, there is a striking commonality…while IHT comes first, the lack of farm income…is missing,” he said.
The group is calling on rural communities to read its campaign document online, which it says explains the urgency behind the protests and the message aimed at big food retailers and politicians.
Farmers for Action is calling for the proposed inheritance tax to be scrapped, alongside the introduction of farm welfare legislation across the UK.
The government wants measures to ensure that family farmers are paid at least the actual cost of production, adjusted for inflation, plus a margin on their crops.
The group also raised concerns about food imports and labeling, warning of what it called “misleading labeling” and the entry of substandard agricultural products into the supply chain.
The FFA has announced that further protests are planned, with another demonstration set to take place on the outskirts of Tesco in County Armagh next Thursday.
