Tractors are blocking the A5 and A14 in protest of farmers’ inheritance tax.

Farmers have blocked dual carriageways with their tractors as they protest against changes to inheritance tax on family farms by the Labor government.

Around 50 tractors from Essex and Suffolk have made a slow drive on the A14 near Felixstowe, while 20 tractors have similarly driven on the A5 outside Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal in Northamptonshire.

Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced during her Budget speech that inheritance tax would apply to agricultural assets worth more than £1m from April 2026.

Since the announcement, similar protests have taken place across the country.

Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for Daventry, said farmers are. Worried about their livelihood. Because of the suggested changes.

The government said the change was expected to affect about 2,000 estates each year and that its commitment to farmers was “firm”.

National Farmers Union (NFU) president and Essex farmer Tom Bradshaw is among those who Giving evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select CommitteeBut got emotional and had to stop.

He said that until the Budget the government tax planning advice was to hold on to your form until you die and there was no consultation.

“[Farmers have] Gave everything to produce food for this country – they really deserve more credit than they’ve been given,” he said.

He warned more farmers that they could take their own lives and had to stop to clear his throat, saying, “This is a life’s work; this is a legacy and [being] Guardianship of this form”.

Victoria Vivian, from the Countryside and Business Association, told MPs: “We have had long meetings, but there is no sense that anyone is listening”.

Labor MP for Peterborough Andrew Pax said the Labor government believes additional tax revenue is needed to fund services in places including rural areas.

“They have tried to do it in a fair way – they will say that all sectors need to contribute as they try to fix public services.”

He asked Ms Vivian if she had identified other ways to raise money, to which she replied that she had and would send him the details.

All those who gave evidence said there was no accurate figure on how many farmers would be affected by the tax change, saying the government kept using different figures.

NFU claims 75% of farmers will be affected in some way – Ms Vyvyan said earlier amounting to about 70,000 formsWhile the government has said it is more than 2,000.

Stewart Maggs, a tax expert who works with farmers in Norfolk, appeared before the committee and agreed with the estimate of 70,000.

The Government has said farmers will have 10 years to pay inheritance tax, but Mr Maggs said: “The charge is going to be a burden and with agricultural land getting a return of between 0.5% and 1% a year. This move will be unbearable.

“That means farmers will have to sell and that will be a lot.”

Russell Abbott, 41, an arable farmer from Tattingstone, near Ipswich, and organizer of the event in Felixstowe, said the turnout was “amazing”.

“It just goes to show the sense in the farming industry,” he said.

“I can’t believe how the government has put these taxes on us like they have.

“It’s going to ruin the fields; I’m worried for our future; I’m worried for the countryside.”

Brother and sister Charlie Cannell, 18, and Millie Cannell, 17, arable farmers from Beccles, joined the protest in Felixstowe.

“The tax affects us more because many of us farmers are rich when we have what we have, but we are not rich in cash,” Mr Cannell said.

“A lot of small farmers just don’t have the money to pay for it so they’re cutting their farm in half and it’s not working.”

Ms Cannell said she and her brother, along with other young farmers, were “the future”.

“We’re really underpaid and we’re expected to get away with what we’re paid,” he said.

“We need machinery to help run the farm, we have to buy seeds… we don’t have much left and we are also expected to pay taxes.

“I’m not going to be around much after that.”

Mark Turner, 62, an arable farmer from Newmarket in Suffolk, said he was “furious” and felt “ambushed” by the government.

He expects to have to sell his farm in the coming years because he will not be able to afford the inheritance tax bill.

“We have to keep up the pressure and protest to show the government that what it is doing is wrong,” he added.

“I think there’s a lot more that can be done…people need food, supermarkets need full shelves, there’s more to come.”