Defra

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown gives the main headlines from NFU conference, takes a look at the details of the Defra Secretary's speech, what farmers and industry representatives thought, and what's next for the family farm tax campaign?

NFU president Tom Bradshaw to say there is ‘so much more to do' and there is still time for this Government to 'reset its relationship with farming and rural Britain'

Rule change will herald a 'new era of universal soils understanding' say campaigners

NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said collaboration was critical in clamping down on rural crime, agricultural thefts and hare coursing, and called on the Government to implement a national rural crime strategy

The Farming Resilience Fund, which supports businesses and farmer's mental health, is set to end in March. The Government said it will recruit more than 8,000 NHS health professionals to support a 'mental heath crisis' in farming

The NFU plea coincides with the first suspected bird flu outbreak of the season in Northern Ireland, which was recorded among a commercial flock in Co Tyrone

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on Arla’s soaring profits, giving its farmer-owners the highest dividend payout in the company’s history, how tenant farmers are being left ‘unprotected’ by the Chancellor’s changes to Inheritance Tax, and the UK's borders have been called into question once again after 600kg of illegal meat was seized in Northern Ireland.

Following a number of confirmed cases of avian influenza, poultry keepers are being urged to stay vigilant for signs of the disease and adhere to the latest control measures

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on the farming unions' meeting with Treasury to discuss the family farm tax, where farming leaders felt the door had been 'slammed in their faces' once again. Unions now say their focus is on getting more Labour backbench MPs including those in the inner cities to pressurise the Government ahead of the Finance Bill in Autumn. And in other news, the UK's borders have been called into question once again after 600kg of illegal meat was seized in Northern Ireland, and growers are being urged to be extra vigilant amid warnings that organised crime gangs are targeting rural properties

Mr Williams is public and governmental affairs manager at BASF. He writes about the state of British agriculture, food security, land management and questions Defra Secretary Steve Reed needs to answer at NFU Conference