Editing Countryside Alliance (section)

== Key campaigns ==

=== Tackling rural crime ===
The Countryside Alliance provides a number of guides for its members and the wider public that relate to crimes often associated as common rural crimes. These include dog theft, fly-tipping, sheep rustling, hare poaching, fuel theft as well as the impact of [[hunt saboteur]]s and online bullying.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/Our-Work/Campaigns/Rural-Crime/National-Rural-Crime-Week-2019-(1)|title=Spotlight on Rural Crime|website=Countryside Alliance|date=January 2000 |language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

==== Church and religious buildings crime report ====
In November 2019, the Countryside Alliance produced a report which detailed the number of crimes recorded by police forces at churches and other religious buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland using powers under [[Freedom of Information Act 2000|Freedom of Information]] laws. Police Scotland did not comply with the request. The final report found that between January 2017 and July 2019 over 20,000 crimes had been recorded, which included lead and metal theft, general theft, violent assault and vandalism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/News/2019/11/CA-Special-report-into-crimes-against-churches|title=Countryside Alliance Special report into crimes against churches and religious buildings in the UK|website=Countryside Alliance|date=4 November 2019 |language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref> Following the publication of the report, The Countryside Alliance issued the following public statement: "As a society, irrespective of faith or none, we need to be much more vigilant when it comes to watching over churches and places of worship by reporting suspicious activity. These figures serve as a reminder of the importance of funding and pushing for visible policing, particularly in rural areas where churches are more remote."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/8-november/news/uk/police-survey-reveals-crime-wave-in-and-around-churches|title=Police survey reveals crime wave in and around churches|website=www.churchtimes.co.uk|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

=== Food and farming ===
The Countryside Alliance describes the food and farming industry as "nationally important" arguing it is responsible for "generating over £108 billion a year for the UK economy and employing one in eight people. It is particularly important for our most rural areas where farming is often central to the economic and social life of the community as well as playing a vital role in conservation".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/Our-Work/Campaigns/Food-and-Farming|title=Food and Farming|website=Countryside Alliance|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

==== Campaign for 'proper' labelling ====
During the UK [[2019 United Kingdom general election|General Election of 2019]], the organisation called for the next government to ensure food labelling showed where an animal was reared and slaughtered for all meat – including that where meat is an ingredient and part of an overall product. It argued "Country of origin food labelling must be mandatory for all processed meat to ensure a level playing field for hard-working British farmers after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/calls-for-government-to-enforce-proper-british-labelling/|title=Calls for Government to enforce 'proper' British labelling|last=Martin|first=Rachel|date=26 November 2019|website=Agriland.co.uk|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

==== Opposition to Animal Rebellion ====
Following a planned occupation of [[Smithfield, London|Smithfield Meat Market]] in the [[City of London]] in opposition to the [[meat industry]] by animal rights group [[Animal Rebellion]], the Countryside Alliance publicly stated that the group's activities would put the livelihoods of farmers and traders at risk. Speaking to The Telegraph newspaper, The CA's Chief Executive Tim Bonner said: "Their idea of a day out is to cause misery to others. They (Animal Rebellion) mask their political driven agenda by pretending to care about animals. They are fuelled by hatred of people and those that opt for an alternative lifestyle to them."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/31/farmers-could-lose-tens-thousands-vegan-activists-plan-fortnight/|title=Farmers could lose tens of thousands as vegan activists plan fortnight-long blockade of UK's largest meat market|last=Wilford|first=Greg|date=31 August 2019|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=16 December 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>  A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance attended the occupation on 7 October 2019 to record a public video, opposing Animal Rebellion and calling on consumers to back UK farmers and sustainable meat production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/News/2019/10/Countryside-Alliance-defend-Smithfield-meat-trader|title=Countryside Alliance defend Smithfield meat traders and livestock farmers|website=Countryside Alliance|date=7 October 2019 |language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

=== Campaign for Shooting ===
The Campaign for Shooting "gives a clear political and public voice to the shooting community".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/Our-Work/Campaigns/campaignforshooting|title=Campaign for Shooting|website=Countryside Alliance|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref> It lists its objectives as: to secure and enhance the long-term sustainability of the sport, and its associated land management practices, and to manage and reduce political risk at local, national and devolved levels.

On 12 August 2019, the Labour Party claimed that the financial benefits of shooting grouse were outweighed by the environmental cost and subsequently called for its review. The Countryside Alliance's Director of Shooting Adrian Blackmore stated "those with any knowledge of [[grouse shooting]] and its associated management will know that some of the claims being made by Labour are complete nonsense, and if an independent review into grouse shooting would help increase Labour's understanding of its considerable environmental, economic and social benefits, then it should be welcomed."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/glorious-12th-grouse-shooting-season-labour-496051|title=Glorious 12th dawns with Labour calling for 'simulated shooting'|website=inews.co.uk|date=11 August 2019 |language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

=== Campaign for Hunting ===
The inception of the [[Hunting Act 2004]] on 18 February 2005 saw traditional foxhunting and other forms of hunting with hounds become restricted. According to its website, The Countryside Alliance supports all forms of legal hunting, but continues to make clear that it will oppose what they believe is ultimately a bad piece of legislation. The group has stated that the ban, brought forward by the then Labour administration under [[Tony Blair]], is "the worst possible example of a law that was passed as an attack on a minority in society".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2016/12/tim-bonner-the-hunting-act-has-to-go.html|title=Tim Bonner: The Hunting Act has to go|website=Conservative Home|date=27 December 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

A proposed ban on [[Trail hunting|trail-hunting]] and hound exercise on public land submitted by a Labour Councillor in Essex saw the Countryside Alliance campaign against the motion brought forward to Essex County Council on 14 May 2019. The motion was defeated at a meeting of the Full Council at County Hall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/entirely-illogical-plan-ban-trail-hunting-voted-687362|title='Entirely illogical' plan to ban trail-hunting voted down|last=Jones|first=Eleanor|date=15 May 2019|website=Horse & Hound|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

Following an announcement by the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in August 2019 that it would strengthen the Hunting Act, the Countryside Alliance accused them of "reverting to class war" and said "We can't get any straight answers on what the problem (with foxhunting) is or what solutions Labour have, other than they seem to desperately want people who wear red coats and ride horses in court".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/08/12/labour-accused-class-war-plans-end-badger-culling-crack-fox/|title=Labour accused of 'class war' over plans to end badger culling and crack down on fox hunting|last=Yorke|first=Harry|date=12 August 2019|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=16 December 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

==== Boxing Day Meet ====
The Countryside Alliance promotes the annual [[Boxing Day]] Meet of registered hunts throughout the United Kingdom, using an online mapping tool. It reports that around 300 hunts meet annually, with 25 in [[Yorkshire]] alone.<ref name=boxing_day_2019>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/support-us/Events-(2)/Boxing-Day-Hunt-Meets-2019|title=Boxing Day Meets 2019|website=Countryside Alliance|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216163833/https://www.countryside-alliance.org/support-us/events-(2)/boxing-day-hunt-meets-2019|archive-date=16 December 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Digital communications ===
The Countryside Alliance campaigns for better broadband and mobile connectivity in rural areas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/Our-Work/Campaigns/digital-communications|title=Digital Communications|website=Countryside Alliance|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

During the UK [[2019 United Kingdom general election|General Election of 2019]] the group welcomed an announcement by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], which pledged to fast-track a plan for a 'Shared Rural Network', which the Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] claimed would see new masts built and existing infrastructure shared between the four mobile phone providers – [[O2 (UK)|O2]], [[3 (telecommunications)|Three]], [[Vodafone]] and [[EE Limited|EE]]. A CA spokesman said at the time "For far too long the countryside has been left behind when it comes to mobile connectivity."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.farminguk.com/news/pm-pledges-to-fast-track-plans-to-boost-signals-in-rural-areas_54480.html|title=PM pledges to fast-track plans to boost signals in rural areas|website=www.farminguk.com|language=en-gb|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

The Countryside Alliance publicly opposed a policy announcement by the Labour Party in November 2019, which pledged to [[Nationalization|nationalise]] broadband and provide free full-fibre broadband by 2030. The group stated on its website that "The Countryside Alliance is concerned that Labour's proposals to renationalise BT risks delaying broadband delivery in rural areas. By removing private investment and stifling competition, especially in the most remote areas of the countryside, they will disincentivise other tech businesses from delivering innovative solutions which are so important in closing the digital divide."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/News/2019/11/CA-respond-to-the-Labour-Party-broadband-pledge|title=The Countryside Alliance respond to the Labour Party's broadband pledge|website=Countryside Alliance|date=15 November 2019 |language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>