Farmers can face trespass, intimidation and damage to crops and property during hare coursing incidents
Hare coursing is spreading into new areas and leaving farmers facing intimidation, crop damage and fears for their families, the NFU has warned.
The union says incidents are being reported beyond traditional hotspots, including parts of the West Midlands and South Wales, prompting calls for closer cooperation between police forces and the wider criminal justice system.
NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said farmers needed confidence that powers available to tackle the crime were being used consistently.
βTo put a stop to this crime, we must see the police and wider criminal justice system use the powers available to them fully and consistently.β
The warning came during National Rural Crime Action Week, which sought to highlight the impact crime can have on people living and working in the countryside.
Hare coursing can involve trespass on farmland, intimidation of rural communities and damage to crops and property. Wildlife can be harmed and the activity can be linked to illegal betting.
Munt said the consequences can be particularly serious for farmers because farms are often both workplaces and family homes.
This can leave farming families concerned not only about damage to land and property, but also the safety of relatives and employees.
The call for greater coordination comes after new sentencing guidelines for hare coursing offences came into force across England and Wales on 1 June 2026.
The guidelines are the first specifically covering these offences and are intended to help courts take a more consistent approach to sentencing.
They cover four offences associated with hare coursing and bring together the sentencing powers and ancillary orders available to courts.
The changes followed reforms under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which created two hare coursing-related offences and increased the maximum penalties for two existing game offences from a fine to six months in custody.
The definitive guidelines were published following a public consultation, during which respondents highlighted damage to property and wildlife as well as feelings of insecurity and threat within rural communities.
The NFU has campaigned for both legislative changes and stronger sentencing measures, but Munt said having tougher powers available would not be enough without consistent enforcement.
The union wants greater collaboration between police forces, particularly where offenders operate across force boundaries.
It is also calling for stronger engagement with local community networks to improve communication and give farmers greater confidence that incidents will be taken seriously.
For the NFU, the next step is ensuring the police and wider justice system make full use of the measures now available to them.