Rural dwellers feel increasingly at risk of being victims of crime, the UFU has said.

According to deputy president Ivor Ferguson, members are reporting that thefts are often from locked buildings, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated methods to gain access.

Earlier this month, a report from NFU Mutual stated that the cost of rural crime in NI increased by 13% to £2.7m last year. However, figures from the PSNI suggest that cases of rural crime reported in NI actually fell by 8.3% in 2015 to 6,379 cases. The UFU maintains that there is under-reporting of crime by some farmers, which reflects a lack of faith in the justice system. Despite that, Ferguson encouraged farmers to report all cases.

The UFU has also said that it is disappointed a rural crime unit within the PSNI had not been established as planned in 2013.