Steve Reed

Victoria Atkins said the Chancellor's proposed changes to Inheritance Tax for farms was aimed at breaking a 'careful tax policy' which protected family farms

This week from Farmers Guardian's editor Olivia Midgley

Government remains tight lipped on promised £44m funding pot

Steve Reed says move offers huge potential to transform the plant breeding sector

Defra Secretary Steve Reed is 'out of touch' and 'it will take years to rebuild confidence in Government', says protest organiser

Defra Secretary Steve Reed had his speech disrupted by a chorus of tractor horns outside the Oxford Farming Conference

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'