Defra

Government remains tight lipped on promised £44m funding pot

March Spending Review is key to future of SFI, says department, which admits concerns over future budget

As the first case has been confirmed in Germany, Defra has issued guidance for livestock farmers

No cases of the disease have been reported in the UK so far

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on the confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany. Meanwhile, the Efra Committee has called for an inquiry into animal and plant health which will focus on biosecurity at the border. The National Pig Association hopes the inquiry will apply pressure on the relevant Government departments to ‘effect the change so desperately needed.’ Elsewhere, Morrisons becomes the first supermarket to show public support for farmers in the fight against proposed changes to Inheritance Tax.

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

Mr Reed said: "Food production will always be the primary purpose of the farming sector, but for all farm businesses, tenants, upland and others, to stay viable in an increasingly uncertain world and to make sure they can keep producing the food we all need, they must be able to profit from other activities"

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