A young Warwickshire farmer is among the next generation of growers giving a "stark warning" about their future and the survival of family farms following changes to inheritance tax.

The young farmers say the removal of "vital" reliefs means they will be the generation "burdened with unaffordable tax bills".

These could "force them out of the industry" and will "reduce their ability to invest in their own future" as well as threaten food supplied.

George Cowper from Warwickshire, said: "I farm alongside my two brothers and parents, it's a proper family affair.

"We produce high welfare, nutritious poultry meat for the country as well as arable crops and some lambs.

"My parents spent years building the business and I feel terrible that it may be lost.

"We recently built a new state-of-the-art poultry shed to improve welfare and production, and we had scope to build another, but with the tax bill we face we can no longer take on the risk of investing money into the business.

"We're not alone, there are many other businesses in the same boat."  

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A number of the young farmers have voiced these concerns with MPs this week at a drop in event ahead of a debate on the family farm tax petition.

Hundreds of tractors were once again in London yesterday (February 10) outside Whitehall in protest - the third time since the budget was announced.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: "From the stories we're hearing, it is clear the impact of this tax hike will be felt not just today for but for generations to come. 

"This badly constructed policy affects so many people.

"It is morally wrong the elderly feel targeted, and we face turning away the next generation, who are excited to drive forward the sustainable production of the country's food, because the family farm they have worked on could be wiped out by huge inheritance tax bills.

"On the back of the report from the National Preparedness Commission last week, raising serious concerns about the country's food security, there has never been a more important time to unlock the potential of the farming industry, to invest for the future of food production and deliver the growth our economy desperately needs. 

"Instead, we have a policy that is inhumane, will stifle investment and hits the hard-working family farms that produce this country's food."