An Essex farming leader has backed calls for the Government to reconsider "cruel and devastating" family farm tax plans.
More than 100 organisations have pleaded with the Prime Minister to rethink the proposed tax, saying it will impact thousands of working people running family farms.
The open letter to Sir Keir Starmer warns of severe unintended consequences, including farms being forced to sell off land and core business assets to fund significant and unexpected tax bills.
NFU Essex vice chair David Lord, who farms near Clacton, said: "We call on the Government to take the opportunity in next week's Budget to reset its relationship with Britain's farmers and growers."
He added that the inheritance tax reform proposals have already posed "a real threat to the future of small and medium-sized family farms".
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Mr Lord also criticised the government's plans for not addressing the issue of land bought solely for tax avoidance, and for punishing elderly farmers with no time to adapt their businesses to the proposed tax changes.
He said: "I urge the Government to engage with us and make changes to this poorly thought out and seriously miscalculated policy.
"They must work with us to understand agriculture and enable us to help the government achieve its ambitions to grow the economy."
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