Dairy farmer and NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board delegate, Jonathan Wilkinson, welcomed the Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, to his farm last Friday to discuss rural crime.
Mr Wilkinson who farms approximately 400 acres and milks 350 cows at Dyffryn Farm, Meifod, near Welshpool in Powys took the opportunity to highlight rural crime and its impact with the Home Secretary and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys Police, Christopher Salmon, ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections which will take place on 5 May.
Mr Wilkinson said: “The Home Secretary was interested to know how my business had suffered as a result of crime and what steps we have taken to reduce the risk.
Ms May also heard about the Farm Watch Scheme that local NFU Mutual Group Secretary Steve Kenyon has initiated to ensure that local NFU Cymru members are kept updated of suspicious activity in the area.”
The visit provided the platform to highlight many of the key asks of the NFU/NFU Cymru 2016 Police and Crime Commissioners Election Manifesto.
NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board Chairman Hedd Pugh said: “Police and Crime Commissioners have an important role in setting strategic policing priorities for their force areas.
“As elected representatives we have a clear opportunity to challenge candidates to make the much needed resource commitments to rural policing.”
Mr Pugh added: “We were pleased during discussions with the Home Secretary to highlight many of the issues surrounding rural crime.
“This includes increasing the allocation of resources to rural areas; making rural crime easier to report; improving cross border communication between farmers together with targeted training to give officers a clearer idea of crimes and anti-social behaviour that commonly affects farmers.
“This includes vehicle theft, livestock theft, fly-tipping, sheep worrying, trespass, poaching, arson, vandalism and fraud.
“We're grateful to the Home Secretary for taking the time to visit us on farm. Our Rural Crime Manifesto sets out key steps that should be taken to address rural crime and we are seeking a clear commitment from candidates to these ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioners Elections in May.”
