The NRCN's (National Rural Crime Network) Rural Crime Action Week takes place between 8 – 12 September and is an opportunity to recognise the impact of rural crime, with a focus on 'Voices from the Countryside' for this year's campaign.
Rising threats such as equipment theft, livestock worrying and fly-tipping, among others, continue to disrupt farming life, leaving a lasting emotional toll on those who work tirelessly to produce food and care for the countryside.
The NFU’s ‘A Mission for Farming: Our Blueprints for Growth’ details how British farming can contribute to the government's missions. On rural crime, we are calling for:
- The government to create a cross-departmental rural crime task force to address the failures in dealing with rural crime.
- The adoption of the National Rural Crime Network 10 Point Plan to tackle rural organised crime, including buy-in from local forces, ROCUs (Regional Organised Crime Units) and the National Crime Agency.
Quad and ATV theft top targets
While the latest NFU Mutual rural crime report revealed that rural crime cost the UK an estimated £44.1 million in 2024, down from £52.8m in 2023, quad bikes and ATVs remained top targets for thieves.
A key focus for the NFU is the implementation of the secondary legislation available under the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act.
While the Act currently covers ATVs and quad bikes, there is a pressing need to extend the measures to include GPS units, which have increasingly become frequent targets for theft.
During the NFU's summer reception held earlier this year, Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson acknowledged that, despite the fall in the cost of rural crime outlined in the Mutual’s report, “there is still more to be done” on machinery theft.
“National Rural Crime Action Week is a timely reminder of the need for action as rural crime continues to devastate farming communities.”
NFU Vice-president Rachel Hallos
“That’s why we are implementing the Equipment Theft Prevention Act 2023 to combat theft and the resale of high-value equipment, and I hope very much to introduce secondary legislation later this year to commence the Act,” she added.
Introducing a mandatory register for ATVs and other high-value equipment, alongside defined standards for immobilisers, forensic marking and tracking technologies to support stolen machinery recovery, would be crucial steps toward deterring organised crime gangs targeting farming businesses.
Lasting emotional strain
NFU Vice-president Rachel Hallos said: “National Rural Crime Action Week is a timely reminder of the need for action as rural crime continues to devastate farming communities.
“We can see the impact of our championing of stronger protections for farmers, from the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act and hare coursing reforms to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, which is going through the Lords now.
“But the threat remains very real. Crimes like fly-tipping, livestock worrying and machinery theft are not just costly but emotionally distressing. Farms are not just businesses, and we deserve to feel safe in our homes.
“That’s why collaboration is key.
“When farmers, police, local authorities and government work together, we see real progress, from targeted enforcement to better support for victims. This joined-up approach must be scaled nationally to tackle rural crime head-on.
“This week is a chance for government to deliver on commitments made at the NFU Summer MP reception to deliver the legislation, resources and cross-border policing needed to send a strong message to those targeting our countryside.”
