Licensing laws introduced on Monday will make it tougher for thieves to dispose of stolen scrap metal, the CLA said.
The Association said metal theft has a huge impact on rural businesses, and often vital pieces of equipment or building infrastructure are stolen and sold for a tiny fraction of their value.
CLA President Harry Cotterell said: “We are pleased to see the results of our lobbying victory put in place so metal theft can begin to be tackled.
“Farm machinery, lead stolen from roofs, and copper cable taken from phone lines all cause major problems to rural business and communities.
“These much-needed changes to the system will give local authorities real power to combat the rise of metal theft.”
The CLA's Scrap the Cash campaign won a major victory with the passing of the Legal Aid Act earlier this year after the CLA President met the former Home Office Minister Lord Henley to ensure cash payments by scrap metal dealers would be prohibited.
Mr Cotterell added: “We believe new regulation should only be put in place in certain circumstances. In this case, it is crucial to deal with the menace of scrap metal thieves.”