They聽 travelled to Westminster to meet the region's MPs to highlight the impact proposed inheritance tax changes will have on farming families and businesses.
Every meeting room in the Houses of Parliament was booked for farmer meetings, with extra space allocated in Westminster Hall. MPs also came to Church House, the NFU鈥檚 base for the day, to hear members鈥� concerns about the family farm tax.
As well as meeting MPs, many NFU East members joined thousands of farmers and supporters in a rally, with speakers including Jeremy Clarkson, Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch and NFU President Tom Bradshaw.
Norfolk livestock farmer James Runciman was among Norfolk farmers who met Broadland and Fakenham MP Jerome Mayhew.
He said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e making no money at all. I have 拢1 million of capital machinery sitting there and it does make you question whether we鈥檙e better off getting rid of it all and having a better life somewhere.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seen as wealthy farmers, when that鈥檚 just not the case. It seems to be the politics of envy.
鈥淭he aim today is to start the ball rolling and hopefully build an alliance among everyone who will be affected
by this.鈥�
Surrey farmer Nellie Budd joined fellow farmers in a meeting with Dorking and Horley MP Chris Coghlan.
鈥淚t might not affect our farm directly, but it will affect the industry and we need to work together. Every farm is different, and we all have our different opinions but on this we stand united,鈥� she said.
鈥淥ne of the comments is it鈥檚 鈥榡ust鈥� 500 farms a year affected. There鈥檚 no just about it. Every farm is important. The emotional, mental effect it has on people losing a family farm, their family business 鈥� that鈥檚 what this is all about.鈥�
'This is about getting our story across to MPs'
NFU Cambridgeshire County Chair Alison Morris was part of a delegation meeting Steve Barclay MP, the Defra Secretary of State in the previous government.
鈥淭here was a mixture of tenants and landowners there and it was an opportunity to get across how many constituents have been affected by this Budget,鈥� she said.
鈥淭his is all about getting our story across to MPs, and to the public. If you take a combine harvester in a field of wheat, that鈥檚 your 拢1 million threshold immediately.
鈥淔armers are not mega rich but land costs and machinery costs are so high.鈥�
Suffolk County Chair Glenn Buckingham said: 鈥淭oday demonstrates the collective strength of a membership organisation and the total realisation that these tax proposals fail so many people. They are incredibly damaging to the agricultural sector and family farms.鈥�
'Day of action is just the start'
Regional Board Chair Alan Clifton-Holt said: 鈥淭housands of people came to London to passionately and respectfully fight for the future of British farming. People鈥檚 behaviour, at both the NFU鈥檚 mass lobbying event and the rally through the streets of London, was impeccable and a credit to everyone involved.
鈥淭he turnout of both farmers and members of the public shows the strength of feeling about the poorly thought out and hugely damaging decisions made by the new government in the Budget.
鈥淚t must go back and reassess this catastrophic decision. We will not give up and allow this to happen. This day of action in London is just the start.鈥�