Steve Reed

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown gives a round up of the latest updates from Treasury and farming leaders on the family farm tax. She looks ahead to the NFU conference next week where the Defra Secretary will give a speech to farmers, but the Prime Minister is not expected to attend

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

James farms Dairy Shorthorns east of Kendal, Cumbria. The fifth generation to farm at Strickley, he is also vice-chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on farmer protest in Westminster over family family tax, followed by a debate in Westminster with MPs later today, a machinery auctioneer has seen a marked increase in the number of machinery valuations as farmers look to sell any surplus kit to help reduce the value of their estates, and UK beef production is expected to decrease by 5% in 2025, according to AHDB analysis

Speaking exclusively to Farmers Guardian at LAMMA Show, NFU president Tom Bradshaw added that farmers did not have confidence to invest in the future

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reports on the latest reaction to Government's land use announcement, which the TFA claims could see agricultural land drop by 10%; 13 dairy producers in the South West have been handed their 12 months' notice by Saputo Dairy UK, and the Welsh Labour MP who is standing up for farmers over family farm tax row. She also looks ahead to next week with NFU Scotland's annual conference, Dairy-Tech and YAMS machinery show all taking place

The Defra Secretary will launch a consultation on a new strategic approach to managing land use in England today (January 31)

Labour has a 'cast-iron commitment' to food production and highest quality land will be protected vows Steve Reed

Alistair Carmichael has called on the Government to increase funding to the agency to avoid further risk to UK farmers

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Carmichael said that ‘deep concern' is fuelling low confidence and morale levels in the agricultural and wider rural community and that he would like to meet with the PM urgently to discuss ‘potential mitigations'