It was standing room only in Ring Two of the Enniskillen Ulster Farmers Mart when over 300 farmers gathered for the Impartial Reporter’s ‘Stop the Tax, Support our Farmers’ event.

The evening was compered by Elaine Mitchell, BBC journalist and featured an expert panel including former Ulster Farmers’ Union president David Brown; Vet Aoife Ferris; solicitor James Cooper; Cormac McKervey, Head of Agriculture at the Ulster Bank and accountant Seamus McCaffrey.

Other speakers included Baroness Arlene Foster,  Fermanagh South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen, Sinn Féin, UUP MLA Diana Armstrong, DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, Councillor Sheamus Greene,  Sinn Féin Councillor Eddie Roofe, Alliance with butcher and farmer Andrew Burleigh also contributing.

Questions from the floor got to the heart of the issue for local farmers as they expressed grave concerns regarding the financial and psychological toll of the changes to inheritance tax laws.

James Cooper spoke about the legal implications and said the tax proposals would “result in an enormous change in succession planning for farmers.

There was applause when Cormac McKervey told those gathered: “This tax shouldn’t be happening to begin with.”

“Very few farmers can afford the additional tax and it will displace ongoing investment into farms”, he said.

Seamus McCaffrey spoke on the financial implication and said: “The tax changes are a brutal attack on farming finances that will also have a psychological impact on farmers.

The issue of emigration was highlighted by Aoife Ferris who spoke about the impact on the younger generation of the tax, she told the meeting: “These changes are the straw that broke the camel's back.

“For my generation more so than anyone,  the appeal of farming is being reduced year–on–year.”

David Brown was energised in the discussion proudly defending the rural way of life, he said Ulster Farmers’ Union are “totally opposed” to the changes and will be lobbying the Labour Government.

“This tax affects us all and we need to shout loud about it”, he told the hundreds gathered.”

Other speakers included Baroness Arlene Foster,  Fermanagh South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen, Sinn Féin, UUP MLA Diana Armstrong, DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, Councillor Sheamus Greene,  Sinn Féin Councillor Eddie Roofe, Alliance with butcher and farmer Andrew Burleigh also contributing.

560 people streamed the meeting via Mart Eye which lasted over 90 minutes.

The event would not have been possible without the support of the Ulster Farmers’ Mart, Enniskillen and their staff who provided the venue and hospitality to those who attended yesterday's meeting.