The NFU has welcomed investment to help tackle rural crime in remote parts of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
Police and crime commissioner John Campion has supported funding for two new police off-road, four-wheel-drive, vehicles costing £50,000.
The new 4x4s will allow officers from rural policing teams to get to remote rural areas where normal police vehicles struggle, including farm tracks and bridleways.
County farmers have welcomed the investment and said they hope it would help increase police visibility and allow officers to access isolated areas to tackle rural crime issues and gather intelligence.
Clehonger farmer and Herefordshire NFU chair Will Watkins said farmers lived with the fear of rural crime from machinery and livestock theft and other issues that disrupted farm businesses.
He said: “Any investment like this is welcome if it helps the police catch criminals and better access rural areas where we see problems caused to our day-to-day farming and food production activities.
“That ranges from the financial implications of rural crime to the emotional impact it has.
“If someone pinches your tractor or quad bike or simply damages fencing and gates it causes a huge headache and hampers our ability to do our jobs.
“So any investment like this in rural policing teams is well received.”
The NFU is also pleased to see the long-awaited Crime and Policing Bill received Royal Assent this week, granting police new powers to enter premises without a warrant to recover electronically tracked stolen agricultural equipment.
This is something the NFU has campaigned strongly for and the law also gives ministers greater powers to issue statutory guidance to councils in England on the enforcement of fly-tipping.
Something NFU chiefs have said needs to go further to address the undue burden waste crime places on farmers and growers.
Pershore grower Derek Jarman, the new Worcestershire NFU chair, said: “We always need to see more done to tackle rural crime be it on fly-tipping, hare coursing or on general theft but the investment is good news and we hope additional resources will continue to be found.
“There is a sense of isolation within the rural community but we do have strong links with the police and members need to feel confident that when they report crimes appropriate action will be taken.”
“The NFU will continue to champion for stronger protections for farmers in isolated rural communities through a range of lobbying work but we applaud the PCC for making these funds available to support officers across the three counties.”
Farmers continue to work with the police, reporting incidents and feeding in essential intelligence to crackdown on crime.
The PCC had previously announced funding for five rural and business crime officers across West Mercia and significant investment in the We Don’t Buy Crime initiative.
This is a four-strand programme aimed at preventing acquisitive crime in towns and villages, including the rollout of SmartWater.
West Mercia Police call handlers have also received dedicated rural crime training, through a partnership with the NFU, following concerns from farmers about how their reports were being understood and managed.
