Planning, rural crime, rural connectivity and food procurement pinpointed as key areas where local government support would be most impactful
The NFU is urging newly elected local councillors to support British farming across a range of issues, including planning bureaucracy, food procurement and rural connectivity.
The union emphasised that decisions taken by local authorities can have a lasting impact for farm businesses and the communities they support.
As some fresh faces take up office and re-elected councillors begin another term following the vote on 7 May, NFU called on all the newly elected representatives to work with farmers and growers and support the industry through the challenges it faces.
The NFU’s key asks of local councils are as follows:
- Planning: ensuring local planning officers are trained in agricultural operations and farm needs, to deliver consistent, informed decisions that support modern farming practices and diversified rural enterprises.
- Rural crime: providing accessible waste disposal sites to help reduce fly-tipping, and ensuring markets operating under the local authority are sufficiently regulated and licensed to prevent the sale of stolen goods.
- Rural connectivity: targeting persistent rural ‘not-spots’ and underserved rural communities, and avoiding clustering of investment in already well-served areas.
- Food procurement: procuring at least 50 per cent of the food the council requires from local farmers and growers.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “Farming sits at the very heart of our rural economy and communities. Our farmers manage more than 70 per cent of the landscape, play a vital role in protecting and enhancing the environment, and work each and every day, whatever the weather, to produce the food to feed our nation.
“However, this is an extremely difficult time for the sector. Successive global shocks – from the war in Ukraine to the conflict in the Middle East – mean farmers are shouldering increased fuel, fertiliser and energy costs and facing growing uncertainty as they begin to plan for the year to come.
“Farmers and growers are also contending with increasingly volatile weather conditions. And with the reduction of support payments – which provided a layer of resilience for many – they are more exposed than ever.
“While many of these challenges need to be solved at government level, local authorities can make a difference for farm businesses and the communities they support. By championing pro-farming policies in areas like planning and rural crime, they can help to shape the future of our industry.
“We look forward to working with all newly elected representatives to help support a thriving and profitable British farming industry.”
