There is "more chance of finding rocking horse poo" than a farmer who will vote Labour at the next General Election, growers have said. The angry statement comes after a survey revealed that nearly 80% are worried about the survival of their businesses and that landowners are set to shun Keir Starmer during the next national poll, scheduled for 2029. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents 28,000 farmers and rural businesses in England and Wales, said Rachel Reeves' policies had forced members to weigh up selling assets to keep their farms going.

Farmers told the Express that they are worried about the impact of further tax changes said to be being considered by Rachel Reeves, which could exacerbate their already precarious situations following the Chancellor's decision to subject them to the inheritance levy from April, as well as taxes on employment. When asked if they had met another farmer who would vote Labour at the next general election, one landowner, who did not wish to be named, summed up the party's fortunes in the sector by replying: "I think there's more chance of finding rocking horse poo, forgive my pun, I'm afraid. I can't imagine anyone wanting to vote Labour."

Michael Dart, 57, the owner of Darts Farm, which has been rated the UK's best farm shop in Topsham, thinks the survey is being kind. He said: "I think it might be higher than 80%."

The retailer and farmer is already having to pay £20,000 a month in National Insurance as he employs 400 people. His family could be faced with a bill of "multiple millions" if he were to pass away, which could see them have to give up assets.

Mr Dart said: "We've either got to make people redundant, which we don't want to do, or not replace them. We're definitely leaner, which is why I think you're seeing in the employment figures there's less people being employed.

"We're certainly not going to take on any youngsters, who are now going to cost us a lot of money to train, because we can't afford to.

"So it's really bad news for all the youngsters who want to get a job."

Mr Dart added: "It does seem also really unfair in that the budget was sudden, and changed a tax policy that had been consistently the same for decades.

"If you just happened to be, say, 80 and doing what every previous government had said you should do in policy terms, and you suddenly had that budget, that's why you've had some people say they're better off dying before April 26. That's how sad it is.

"If you're an 80-year-old and you've got children, you probably won't live another five, seven years, will you? So there are some families caught in that trap, and you might have terminally ill people as well. Just imagine if you were terminally ill, and then you've got to die before April 26 to save the tax, or if you die after April 26, your family pays the tax."

Jeremy Yabsley, 69, looks after 80 yews, and sells lamb.

"I think the survey is much more true than the Government would have us believe," he said.

The former Tory councillor added that, when factoring in inheritance tax and the fiscal reforms Ms Reeves is believed to be eyeing up, including further restrictions on lifetime gifts and capital gains tax on more homes, his son faces having to pay £750,000 when he passes away - a third more.

Mr Yabsley said: "It all adds up to hit the same thing we're all worried about, and that is being able to pass to our son or daughter or family. The numbers are much bigger than anybody is wanting us to believe."

The two sons of nearby poultry, beef and arable farmer would have to pay £2million "to be able to have the farm passed to them intact", he added.

David Chugg, the National Farmers Union (NFU) Chairman in Devon, emphasised that it is not just growers being hit, as they are being hit by higher costs set by machinery dealers, vets and feed merchants, who themselves have to cope with higher outgoings.

"They have a National Insurance increase, or minimum wage increase. And what do they do? They pass it on to the customers, which are the farmers. We have to suffer that.

"It's everyone they're having to go at. If they're so desperate [for investment], why kill off business? There is no incentive for anyone to invest at the moment."

The Barnstaple sheep and arable farmer then emphasised that this hostile economic environment has been accompanied by extremely dry weather this year, resulting in a "desperate situation" as many operate on no or less than 1% profit.

"There's a lot of farms out that are in a really sticky situation, at the moment," the National Farmers Union (NFU) representative for Devon said.

Heaping extra costs onto farms while they endure these conditions "really beggars belief", he added.

"I can't imagine anyone wanting to vote Labour."

The Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (CenTax) reported earlier this month that between 480 and 600 farm estates per year would be impacted by Ms Reeves' inheritance tax reform, meaning that they would pay additional tax if there was no change.

This estimate accounts for farm estates that only claim business property relief, and projected increases in the price of farmland up to 2027.