Environment Secretary Steve Reed rejects claims of ‘lack of interest’ in farmers

He also met three times with the Country Land and Business Association, as well as seven times with other farming groups.

Officials have said the NFU were the first stakeholder organisation the Secretary of State spoke with after he was appointed, and that he meets with key food and farming stakeholders regularly.

The details about Mr Reed’s farm-related visits and interactions came following a parliamentary question from Charlie Dewhirst, Conservative MP for Bridlington and the Wolds. Mr Dewhirst said: “Visiting just four farms in eight months shows his complete lack of interest in the hard-working people who feed our nation."

He said the Labour government was "neglecting" the countryside, adding "this level of disengagement is shocking - even by their standards". "If Reed wants to understand the impact of his policies, he must spend time with the people they affect first-hand," he said.

The criticism follows what some agricultural industry leaders have described as “unprecedented pressures”, partly as a result of policies introduced by the Labour government.

In December Mr Reed sparked fury after declaring farmers were “in it for the money” in a House of Commons debate over reforming inheritance tax and its impact on rural areas. He said: “The shadow secretary of state, as well as the former prime minister, keep telling farmers they’re not in it for the money. We know that they are. They’re businesses that need to make a profit, and our new deal for farmers is designed to ensure profitability and success for the future.”

At the time, the comments were condemned by Conservative shadow Defra secretary Victoria Atkins, who highlighted the “human cost” of the reforms, citing a South Yorkshire farmer’s death linked to fears of financial burden.

While addressing the National Farmers' Union conference in February, Mr Reed repeated said the government had no choice over the tax as it needed to tackle a £22 billion black hole in the nation's finances.

When asked to comment on Mr Reed’s farming-related visits and meetings, a Defra spokesman said he had “championed British farming and rural communities from the moment he took office”.

The spokesman said Mr Reed, who is MP for the Greater London constituency of Croydon North, had been speaking with farmers and holding regular meetings with organisations such as the NFU, CLA and Tenant Farmers Association.

He added: “Against the challenges of the £22 billion hole in the public finances, we are investing £5 billion for farming over the next two years - the largest ever directed at sustainable food production in our country’s history.”