Environment secretary to speak at farming conference

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Reynolds will face farmers at an annual farming and agriculture conference.

Reynolds will deliver the keynote speech on the government's watered-down plans to tax inherited farmland and take questions from the audience at the 90th edition of the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) on Thursday.

The event, delivered under the theme Growing Resilience, will feature other political speakers from the devolved nations.

Conference chair Jude McCann said building "strong relationships with our political parties" had ensured delegates got the opportunity to engage with politicians and industry leaders.

Reynolds's appearance comes after last year's Budget where ministers said they would start imposing a 20% tax on inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m from April 2026.

But following months of protests by farmers and concern from some Labour backbenchers, that threshold was increased to £2.5m.

Concerns are also expected to be raised about the uncertainty surrounding England's environmental farm payments schemes.

Industry speakers include Stuart Armitage, who manages The Warriner School Farm in Oxfordshire - one of the largest school farms in the UK - and Karl Franklin, a first-generation sheep farmer, who demonstrates the farming reality on social media.

McCann said the 90th year anniversary gave the chance for reflection "on how farming has adapted over generations, but also to recognise the risks and uncertainties we now face".

"Growing Resilience is about how people, businesses and the environment can withstand future shocks while adapting to new opportunities," she said.

The 2026 edition also sees the return of the OFC report, which will focus on agriculture's future opportunities.

The conference is primarily delivered at the Examination Schools on the High Street.

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