Baroness Kate Rock, who led the Rock Review into farm tenancies, has been ordered by the Labour government to leave her role as non-executive director at Defra.
Baroness Rock said she felt "deep disappointment and, frankly, bewilderment" at the move, which was made by Defra Secretary Steve Reed.
Speaking in the House of Lords, she said: “In opposition, Labour were a vocal advocate of tenant farmers and the Rock Review.
"It sends a worrying message to our vital tenant farming community that my sector expertise is not recognised by Steve Reed and his ministerial team as being a useful asset."
Defra's non-executive board members are senior figures from outside government, appointed for three year terms to provide challenge to government departments.
As set out in the Code of Practice, non-executive board members are appointed directly by the Defra Secretary and are not civil servants.
Baroness Rock was appointed to the role in May by the previous Conservative government.
In February 2022, she was appointed as chair of the Tenancy Working Group, commissioned by Defra to look at the future of agricultural tenancies.
The Rock Review, which issued numerous recommendations to the government to improve farm tenancies, was published in October 2022.
