CLA

CLA president Gavin Lane.

Rural coalition issues warning
Leading rural sector figures have warned unless action is taken to protect local slaughter facilities, farmers, food production, rural businesses and animal wel...

A view of the countryside. PIC: Tony Johnson

Labour continues to treat rural communities with contempt - Andrew Vine

A tractor is driven through Oxford Circus in central London, during a protest by farmers last year. PIC: Ben Whitley/PA Wire

Why farmers are allowing their business to deteriorate

Holstein Friesian dairy cattle

How communication can help bridge the divide between farmers and landlords

Scarborough South Bay. Credit: Tom Arber

MP says tourism money raised in Scarborough and Whitby ‘should stay on coast’

Firefighters have bee using controlled burns to tackle wildfires in the Peak District .Photo: Derby Mountain Rescue

Government refuses to relax controlled burning rules amid wildfires

Defence Secretary John Healey is set to make the announcement at Leonardo UK on Thursday (Steve Welsh/PA)

Tourism businesses urge John Healey to axe overnight visitor levy

Concerns are being raised over the impact of pesticides on rivers in national parks, such as the River Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales.

'Rural affairs' responsibilities added to mayors in Devolution Act

Farmers harvesting the wheat in fields. PIC: Tony Johnson

Labour needs to start listening to rural voices

A tractor is driven through Oxford Circus in central London, during a protest by farmers last year. PA Photo. PIC: Ben Whitley/PA Wire

Government needs to change its rhetoric on rural communities

Claire Wright of the CLA

No evidence of harm to wildlife in trail hunting - Claire Wright

Farmers harvest the wheat in fields. PIC: Tony Johnson

What the Government needs to do to win over farmers - Harriet Ranson

Chancellor Rachel Reeves poses outside 11 Downing Street, London, with her ministerial red box, before delivering her Budget. PIC: James Manning/PA Wire

Exclusive We 'listened to concerns' on inheritance tax, Rachel Reeves says

Langthwaite a village in Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

More than 20 rural schools close in North Yorkshire over last decade

Emergency services battle to contain the giant blaze on Langdale Moor

'Jaw-droppingly non-scientific’ - Countryside reacts to Government burning ban

Crina Bottom on the Yorkshire Dales

No farmers would vote Labour if election was tomorrow, poll finds

John McTernan also said the country "doesn't need small farmers"

Farmers to be hit by inheritance tax reform 'more than landowners'

Rachel Reeves will not announce any changes to cash limits next week, as had previously been expected. Picture: Jack Hill/The Times/PA Wire

Civil servant's 'tone deaf' award for farming inheritance tax analysis

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves looks from a window before a roundtable discussion with top finance executives during a visit to the Lloyds Banking Group's offices, in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Credit: Oli Scarff/PA Wire

Reeves 'blind and indifferent' to damage from inheritance tax changes

A pig is judged in a show ring, during the opening day of the Great Yorkshire Show at the Showground in Harrogate. Photo Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Sunshine and soaring temperatures - but inheritance tax debate dominates GYS

A pig is judged in a show ring, during the opening day of the Great Yorkshire Show at the Showground in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025. PA Photo. Photo Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Great Yorkshire Show: Crowds bathed in sunshine for opening day
The mental and physical health of farmers is a key focus for this year's 166th Great Yorkshire Show which got underway yesterday bathed in sunshine and with a sell-out crowd.
Ruby Kitchen

A farmer make haste and gathers in the drying grass during harvest in a field near Farndale, North Yorkshire. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.

Yorkshire to have '£1bn wiped from economy over inheritance tax'

Farmers drive their tractors through a dry and dusty field. PIC: James Hardisty

People should enjoy the countryside but they need to take extra care due to the ...

Strawberries are picked at Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, as British Berry Growers announce that British strawberries are this year set to be particularly sweet and well-shaped, thanks to the cool but sunny spring conditions ideal for slow growth and ripening.

Drought and wildfire warnings as public told to be vigilant

Victoria Vyvyan, CLA president

Yorkshire farming leader calls for swift SFI scheme replacement

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner during a visit to a housing development. PIC: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Farmers' fears that land could be sold off through planning reforms

Farmers protest in central London over the changes to inheritance tax (IHT) rules. PIC: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Labour losing support to Reform in countryside over farm tax - poll

Labour candidate to be York and North Yorkshire mayor, David Skaith Picture: David Skaith

Exclusive Labour mayor commissions own research on impact of farming tax changes

Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner, answering an urgent question on the implications of the autumn Budget for farming communities, in the House of Commons.

Labour accused of issuing ‘death sentence’ for many farms

Farmers protest outside the Northern Farming Conference. PIC: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Exclusive First farming strike to cause 'food shortages on supermarket shelves'

Kevin Hollinrake being interviewed by the Yorkshire Post. Credit: Edward Massey/Conservative Party

Exclusive British farming will 'unrecognisable' if inheritance tax relief is cut

Great Yorkshire Show - Day 1 - Pictured John Stone of Devon, trying to keep dry from the heavy rain whilst controling his pedigree Welsh Sow before showing. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty. Date: 9th July 2024.

Show provides platform for region's livestock at its best and political debate
The show must go on, so the saying goes, and it certainly did as the 165th Great Yorkshire Show got underway despite torrential rain.
Ruby Kitchen and Emma Ryan

Mist blows through the Yorkshire Dales National Park. PIC: Tony Johnson

The Conservatives let down the countryside on crime - Andrew Vine

Rishi Sunak visits a bus depot in Harrogate.

Conservatives face losing key rural seats as Rishi Sunak enters tough week as PM

Goathland, North Yorkshire, where Yorkshire Television hit TV series Heartbeat was filmed using many of the local scenes, buildings and people as extras in the series. Many people feared it would decimate the tourism and economy that Goathland had benefitted from as a result of the show being filmed there when the show ended.
James Hardisty.

Farming businesses need to make up a loss of £1.87bn income a year

Lucinda Douglas, of Rise Carr Farm, Marishes, Malton, North Yorkshire, is also the Director North at The CLA. PIC: James Hardisty

What agriculture needs from politicians in 2024 and beyond - Lucinda Douglas

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, with his ministerial box before delivering his Budget at the Houses of Parliament. Picture date: Wednesday March 15, 2023. See PA story POLITICS Budget. Photo credit should read: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

"Government needs to show it is on side of rural families and business owners"

You would think that the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, whose constituency is mainly rural, would be keen to help those of his constituents who are trying to make a living where they live in the countryside. PIC: Carl Court/Getty Images

How the government needs to invest in farming - Yorkshire Post Letters

More than £168m in grants will be available to farmers this year in a bid to drive innovation, support food production, improve animal welfare and protect the environment.
Picture: Tony Johnson

Funding to boost farming productivity is welcome - The YP says

Lucinda Douglas is the Director North at the CLA. PIC: James Hardisty.

Remove barriers to economic growth in the countryside - Lucinda Douglas

Lucinda Douglas, of Rise Carr Farm, Marishes, Malton, North Yorkshire, who is also the Director North at The CLA.

Farm of the Week: The CLA north director from a Dales sheep farming family

The first covering of snow over the tops of the Wolds, East Yorkshire, last week as The Met Office issued a Yellow weather warnings due to cold air from the Arctic crossing the UK with concerns of snow and ice on high ground. Pictured A farmer drives a tractor along the lightly snow covered Thwing Road between Kilham and Thwing.

Farm work fatalities are higher than any other industry

Rural communities, like Muker in The Yorkshire Dales, are running out of patience warns CLA president Mark Tufnell who criticised the government for letting rural communities fail.

Lib Dem leader calls for designated rural minister because of DEFRA "neglect"

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Rural Business and the Rural Powerhouse has issued a call for evidence from across the rural economy to establish the effects the cost-of-living crisis is having on businesses & communities in the countryside.

Countryside communities urged to give evidence at cost of living crisis inquiry

More than 20 leaders from agriculture and horticulture met this week and have committed to spearheading a collaborative, industry-wide action to attract more people into farming and growing careers.

Industry leaders to do more to raise awareness of careers in farming and growing

Earlier this year research by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board found that consumers are likely to buy less meat as a direct result of the cost of living crisis.

Buy British to save farmers during cost of living crisis, leader begs

Ms Douglas has said part of the issue is the high standards that buyers put on vegetables, with food processors and supermarkets turning away yields that do not meet high specifications set.

'Buy wonky veg to help after drought' leader warns amid pototo crop fears

Wonky Veg

There's nowt wrong with eating wonky vegetables - The Yorkshire Post says

A wildfire at Marsden Moor near Holmfirth in March 2022

High to very high risk of wildfires across Yorkshire on Thursday

The legislation has been welcomed by rural organisations

Welcome for legislation which will pave the way for disease resistant crops

CLA Director North, Lucinda Douglas.

Rural ambition is thwarted but there's six ways to set it free - Lucinda Douglas

Polling suggests rural voters are deserting the Conservative Party.

Rural voters 'could punish Tories over lack of levelling up policies'

Snowy scenes in Kirklees, West Yorkshire (PA)

Conservatives lose polling lead in rural areas, new research suggests

Michael Gove's Levelling Up White Paper did not deliver for the rural economy, it has been claimed.

Levelling Up White Paper failed to deliver for countryside, claims CLA president

The trade deals signed with New Zealand and Australia will see the removal of trade tarrifs.

Sheep farmers face "unnecessary risk in years to come" says national body

Picture: Adobe Stock.

Yorkshire farmers waiting for Government to catch up - Lucinda Douglas

Incidents of fly tipping during 2020/21 have reached an all time high according Government figures.

Rural organisations call for tougher action against fly tippers

The new Sustainable Farming Incentive will reward 'public goods'

New payment rates for 'public money for public goods' announced

The rural economy is being held back by outdated planning laws, the CLA has argued.

Some rural planning decisions 'taking up to 20 years and costing £1m', CLA warns

Lucinda Douglas, director of the Country, Land and Business Association’s northern region

Shortage of farm workers becoming 'serious problem'

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