Emma Reynolds took over the role vacated by Steve Reed after last week's cabinet reshuffle which also saw veteran Labour MP Dame Angela Eagle replacing Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner as farming minister.

The new Defra secretary spoke at the tenth Back British Farming Day reception hosted by the National Farmers' Union (NFU) in London, which brought 80 MPs and peers together to promote the sector.

She said she had “great respect for the work of farmers”, adding that this view is clearly shared by the public after the NFU's recent public survey results found that farmers are the second most respected profession in the UK after nurses.........

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