The Country 12/11/25: Farmer Tom Martin talks to Jamie Mackay

We track down our UK Correspondent on Armistice Day in Turkey. We reflect on Istanbul’s strategic importance to world trade, discuss farmer protests against the Inheritance Tax, and banter ahead of the All Blacks v England clash at Twickenham.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
He is a UK farm and correspondent, farmer Tom Martin
big social media influence. I no doubt he's doing lots
of posts from where he is at the moment because
he's in Turkey, a fascinating country, Istanbul, one of the
most wonderful cities in the world. And it's rather app
Tom than in the UK time as we record this anyhow,

(00:20):
it's Armistice Day. And what a role Turkey played around
the First World.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
War, that's right, Well, it's a bit of a kind
of a pivot country in many ways, ancient and modern.
Of course, Turkey playing a bit of a role in
the Ukraine conflict as well, and controlling the Bosporus, so
really controlling all that trade and traffic going up up
to the Black Sea. And I didn't see it this

(00:45):
time when I flew in, but when I flew in
I was here about eighteen months ago, back to instance, actually,
and you could see all those cargo ships waiting out
in the Mediterranean to get up to the Bostra still
to the Black Sea. So you realize what an important
geopolitical location is really interesting when you when you dive
into it, but interesting but also you know, pretty pretty

(01:08):
pretty pretty terrible, to be honest. We're you know, we're
it's in a position which is just a few hundred
miles away from two pretty bloody war zones. So yeah,
Armistice Day or Remembrance Day as we would call it,
really really important.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Stanbull wasn't on my bucket list. I really only went
there because I wanted to go to Gallipoli. That's very
much a right of passage, as you'll understand for all Kiwis.
But I found a Standbull to be perhaps the most
amazing city I've ever been to in the world. As
you say at Bridges effectively Asia and Europe.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
It is. It's a melting pot. It's and you know what,
it's got a lot in common with the UK. It's
a it's a it's a trading point, you know, it's
it's a nation of traders. You think obviously, we know,
we think about the ancient silt written and things like that,
but the amount of trade that would have come through
through this place in over the century, it's a remarkable,

(02:04):
no wonder. It's this melting pot of cultures as well
as as well as occupying a strategic position.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Are you still a trading nation or as a kea
starmer band trading and farming.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
We're pretty good at llowing in lots of imports. I'm
not sure we're having a particularly great time at the moment.
It certainly feels pretty bleak as a farmer, mind you.
I'm saying that I realized that I'm on holiday in Turkey,
which you know, which for the UK is is just
a few hours. But it feels pretty exotic to be

(02:38):
talking about what a tough time we're having in farming.
But it's been pretty head down since I reckon probably
the last week in June. So now I've deserved a
few days out.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, fair enough, Tom the in if you your National
Farmers Union, the equivalent of a Federated Farmers has had
a letter writing campaign. Apparently farmers have written twelve thousand
letters to five hundred and fifty MP's in just twelve days.
And if that's not enough, this is over the Inheritance
taxt On November the twenty sixth, they're going to drive
their tractors yet again into Westminster. I wonder whether you're

(03:10):
going to take yours to coincide with the Chancellor's autumn budget.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
I reckon, I have to leave now, to get there
for November the twenty sixth, I won't be, but it's
a really really important day. Last year, the budget was
in the more traditional time said it's thirtieth of October,
and that's of course when we first heard and actually
when the Department for the Environment include Rural Fairs, I
think first heard that there will be these changes to

(03:37):
the inheritance tax exemptions that we I was going to say, enjoy,
but actually that we really need as farmers to continue
to operate family businesses. We do, but it's it's something
which we've been really campaigning about for the last year,
since that last budget. And interestingly, I think everybody, probably
about apart from I don't know half a do people

(04:00):
who could sit around the same table in Treasury think
it's a terrible idea what they're planning at the moment.
In reducing those restrictions. They are penalizing family businesses and
actually still permitting people to commit low level tax avoidance.
So they're really they're really missing on both of those goals.
But very recently the Secretary of State for DEFRA has

(04:20):
went on the radio and said she said there is
no way that the Treasury will be looking to change
those previously announced exemptions. So of course, Jamie, you know
they probably are going to. That's what they do, isn't it.
They say that they're not going to and then they do,
or they say they're going to do something and then
they don't. So we are hopeful. I don't think we're optimistic,

(04:41):
but I think we're hopeful that there may well be
a change or revision, an amendment to the current plans.
Then it certainly needs to be.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
You're an arable farmer just north of London, I guess
effectively as you hit out of your light autumn into
the winter period. Of course, northern hemisphere opposite seasons. To us,
this is effectively your season. That's why you're holidaying in
this standball.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Tom, That's right. We're just really quieted down were because
we've had such a hot, dry summer. I think we're
the hottest dry sum record and I don't know, but
certainly very hot, very dry. It's really been non stop
since that last week in June when we've gone and
went into a very early harvest straight there into interfortunately
really good conditions after that dry, dry summer for autumn planting,

(05:28):
and we put our last last field of winter son
beams in two weeks last Friday. So yeah, we're just
starting quite down now. If you want to feel sorry
for us, We've had the I think we've had the
dullest October on record, this record going all over the place,
but I think the dullest in terms of the fewest
sunshine hours. But I still think we're going to have

(05:49):
a pretty good autumn. It's nice and dry, the roots
will be getting down and I'm a farmer, so I'm
always an optimist about next harvest.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
Now you're also in England rugby supporter, that makes you
a naturally born optimist. Are you getting back to Twickenham
this weekend for the taste?

Speaker 2 (06:04):
I won't be down there, but i'll be home. I'll
be back at the Northampton Saints ground, which is my
local team. Of course, supplied a lot of the England
top brass, including one Henry Pollock from from our from
our club, so I'll be watching and support of the
cheering on England from Northampton Saints.

Speaker 1 (06:20):
That Henry Pollock is kind of almost a hardbrid rugby player,
A super sub, isn't he.

Speaker 2 (06:27):
He's a remarkable guy. I mean, he's just got this
this phenomenal want ability, but also this outrageous temperament where
he really kind of riles up the opposition but seems
to you know, doesn't doesn't respond to anything and seems
to crack on. He he's no doubt going to be
targeted as when he comes on. But even even with that,
you know you've seen the last few games, he still

(06:49):
manages to provide a spark and score the odd try
and do us proud. So we're looking forward to cheering
him on on Saturday.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
It's going to be a wonderful Test match. I hope
you get a bonus point Farmer Tom enjoy turkey.

Speaker 2 (07:02):
Thanks Jermin