Quad bikes, GPS units and farm machinery remain prime targets for thieves, with the NFU urging tougher national action during National Rural Crime Action Week.
Organised by the National Rural Crime Network (NRCN), the initiative runs from 8–12 September under the theme “Voices from the Countryside”.
The annual campaign aims to highlight the day-to-day impact of rural crime on farming communities.
The latest NFU Mutual report revealed the cost of rural crime fell to £44.1 million in 2024, down from £52.8m the previous year.
But farmers remain vulnerable, with machinery theft, livestock worrying and fly-tipping still major concerns.
The NFU is calling for a cross-departmental rural crime task force and adoption of the NRCN’s 10 Point Plan, involving police forces, Regional Organised Crime Units and the National Crime Agency.
NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos stressed that National Rural Crime Action Week is an important moment to focus attention on the issue.
She pointed to the tangible progress already made, highlighting measures such as the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act, hare coursing reforms and the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, currently progressing through the Lords.
She said: “National Rural Crime Action Week is a timely reminder of the need for action as rural crime continues to devastate farming communities.
“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.”
She stressed the need for stronger partnerships between farmers, police, local authorities and government to scale up effective enforcement and support for victims.
A key NFU priority is the rollout of secondary legislation under the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act, which currently covers ATVs and quad bikes.
The union wants the measures extended to GPS units, increasingly targeted by organised crime gangs.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson acknowledged progress, but said: “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.
"That’s why we are implementing the Equipment Theft Prevention Act 2023 to combat theft and the resale of high-value equipment.
"I hope very much to introduce secondary legislation later this year to commence the act.”
