Farmers want greater punishments for those that destroy farmland
Warwickshire-based dairy farmer Charles Goadby said the public's disrespect for farmland and farmer's businesses was of great concern and something that needed addressing as a matter of urgency.
"We are getting to the point now where cows with calves at foot cannot be in a field where there is a footpath - we are being pushed further off the land. The Labour Party has said that if they get into power they will back Right to Roam. Where will livestock farmers stand then if that happens?
The latest figures from NFU Mutual have revealed that the cost of dog attacks on livestock increased more than 50 per cent between 2019 and 2022. According to the insurer, UK farm animals worth an estimated £1.8 million were severely injured or killed by dogs compared to £1.2 million in pre-pandemic 2019.
Punishment
Mr Goadby has urged the Government to consider current access rules and has called for greater punishments and financial penalties in order to deter those who wilfully cause harm.
"We have to come down hard on people for things like dog attacks or worrying or negligence," he said. "For example, where people have had barbecues and just discarded them. There needs to be tougher sanctions."
Gareth Wyn Jones is based in North Wales and has regularly posted his encounters with ‘trespassers' on social media. He said financial penalties must be higher for those who cause damage and that more must be done to educate people about the countryside.
"It is getting worse. People do not understand the countryside and any introduction of Right to Roam would make that worse. This is a living, working landscape with crops and livestock. People no longer have any respect for the countryside and we need to hit those that cause trouble in their pockets with larger fines."
The comments come as a survey carried out by ORB International found that 93 per cent of those questioned agreed that the countryside should be regarded as part of our national heritage. More than half (54 per cent), said they did not feel the countryside is being taken seriously enough by the Government, while three-quarters wanted more political debate on the challenges facing rural areas.
Mr Goadby added: "Farmers want to open up their land and build the trust cycle to get people to Back British Farming, but the current system is not working. People either intentionally or unintentionally are damaging not only farmland but nature as well. It is ridiculous that we are being asked to bid on projects to protect nature and then dogs can then just come in and destroy everything."
Both Defra and the Labour Party were contacted for the article.
