The UK government needs to wake up to the huge contributions these rural areas make to the wider UK economy, Naomi Ferguson, author of a report presented to the UK government addressing rural and agricultural neglect, has said.

The report, published on Friday 16 August, calls for action to transform the British heartland by putting farming first, revitalising rural areas.

The report is entitled Sustaining the Heartland: Challenges of rural communities, farming and agriculture.

The report is highly critical of the current barriers facing rural communities, farms and the wider industry. It primarily attacks the lack of investment made by consecutive governments leaving rural areas "severely challenged".

The farming industry has been forgotten and neglected and is little more than a blind spot in the Westminster bubble

“From infrastructure challenges to poor digital connectivity, the day-to-day rural life of farming communities is getting harder by the minute. The wider public also have a crucial role to play, buying meat and goods from local providers,” said Ferguson.

Key recommendations in the report

  • Develop a dynamic, innovative sector, accessible to new entrants.
  • Developing measures which reverse the loss of farms, particularly small ones.
  • Evaluation of subsidies, grants and taxation affecting farmers and rural communities.
  • For arable farmers, opportunities to sequester carbon through use of cover crops and to be less intensive.
  • More rural community support, for businesses and residents alike. Concentrating on better connectivity, transport facilities, and small businesses.

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