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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

This week from ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian editor Olivia Midgley

The campaign aims to support the industry's call to the Government to scrap the family farm tax

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

How have farmers reacted to the Defra Secretary's speech?

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"

Tom Bradshaw highlighted the £140 billion food and drink sector is reliant on the raw product produced in the UK

A NFU survey of 545 livestock farmers in the South East found if there were further closures to local abattoirs, 49% of respondents said they would either have to reduce their stocking levels, stop keeping livestock or cease trading