At this years Royal Welsh Show, members and staff of NFU Cymru as well as Wales Wildlife and Rural Crime co-ordinator, Rob Taylor met to discuss rural crime.
With rural crime becoming a growing concern across Wales and the rest of the UK, the meeting highlighted the impact it ishaving on the public.
National Farmers Union (NFU) previously stated the cost of rural crime claims rose by 18% in Wales going from £2.4m in 2023 to £2.8m in 2024.
Taylor discussed the new Wales Rural Crime Strategy, which is a joint effort between his group and the Welsh police.
The strategy, which was published on July 10, will run from now until 2028 and follows the previous strategy that ran from 2023 to 2025.
Taylor asked the members to report all crimesin rural areas, no matter the scale, to the police in a bid to construct a clearer picture of rural crime across the country.
The speakers at the meeting also urged the public to remain vigilant and proactive in protecting their farms.
NFU
NFU Cymru deputy president Abi Reader chaired the meeting, encouraging members to tell their stories highlighting the real life impacts whether from machinery theft, animal theft, or even dog worrying attack.
Reader assured members that NFU Cymru will continue campaigning against the problem
She said: “We will keep raising and pushing hard on these issues, it’s important to work together to make our voices heard.”
NFU Cymru rural crime lead, Garry Williams told the members how he experienced these issues firsthand after a livestock theft.
He sympathised with farmers concerns, saying: “The frustration is that we can see it getting worse, not better.”
Williams outlined the lasting affects it has on farms, saying that it is not only an immediate financial burden farmers face.
He said: “It can impact your farming business for years to come and the mental health toll, the stress, and worry it causes is something that shouldn’t be underestimated.”
