Reports came later Steve Reed, Minister for the EnvironmentHe appeared at the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) annual conference on Thursday.

He was challenged on the mental health impact on older farmers and said the Government would “listen and understand how we can bear this more easily”.

But “it is not possible for the country to continue like this,” he said. “We have become a global basket case for international investors.”

He later told reporters that even when farmers are 93, “it’s never too late to look at your tax planning and succession planning.”

Mr. Reed too Refused to apologize for farmers’ concern on changes he said were needed to fund rural public services.

“It’s hard to be sad because I’m trying to run this country’s economy and our public services,” he told reporters.

The government says the changes will reduce the number of people buying farmland to avoid tax, and that the tax break disproportionately benefits the richest 7 per cent of estates.

But he is accused by farming groups of executing a vindictive plan that could force family farms to break up and threaten food security.