Steve Reed

Mr Reed was questioned how he will protect tenant farmers, who are threatened by eviction from their holdings, due to landlords being concerned about the Inheritance Tax bill they will face

Mr Reed said: "12,000 farms and producer businesses went bust under the last government. This is already happening. It is nothing to do with IHT. It is because the sector is not profitable

Speaking at Oxford Farming Conference, Defra Secretary Steve Reed said: "I am sorry that some of the action we have to take shocked you in turn, but stable finances are the foundation of the economic growth"

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the Government fails to recognise that the farming industry is in a ‘cash flow crisis' right now, with the ‘lowest farmer and grower confidence ever recorded'

The Soil Association said if the Defra Secretary wants to achieve 'long-term food security, profitability and sustainability for our farming sector', then simply monitoring for British food in public institutions 'will not be enough'

Steve Reed uses Oxford Farming Conference to unveil Labour's long-term vision for agriculture

Amid growing unrest from farmers over a proposed Inheritance Tax announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget, the Defra Secretary has faced pressure for the number of farms he has visited since July 5

"I do not think large farmers should be exempt from Inheritance Tax because no-one else is"

UFU president William Irvine said once all the facts were laid out on the table, it seemed the negative impact that the budget changes will have on NI started to 'hit home'