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The Conservative Rural Forum (CRF) has launched its manifesto to outline its commitment and support for the farming community ahead of general election year.

Included in the rural advisory group's manifesto is an 18-point plan of how they aim to help 'influence and shape' the future of the countryside, agriculture, food and rural communities.

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Former Defra Secretary Ranil Jayawardena, who served in the position for just 49 weeks, said he commended the work of the CRF to support farmers and families in rural areas in the build-up to an general election.

"As a former Defra Secretary, I have seen the challenges facing the countryside from different perspectives," he added.

"This manifesto aims to address some of the most salient concerns in rural and remote communities - many of which my constituents continue to raise with me.

"There is a push for each police force in a rural area to have a dedicated rural crime team and the recommendation of a working group to ‘rural proof' health policy.

"I strongly support the proposal for arms-length bodies like Natural England and the Environment Agency to be brought back ‘in house' to Defra too.

"This is at the vanguard of the Conservative policy debate, and this is why groups like the CRF are so important.

"The CRF can challenge the status quo to best represent countryside communities, in line with Conservative principles.

"Since 2010, our Party has launched new productivity grants for farmers, helped farmers make the most of their produce with the ‘adding value' grant to unlock investment in farm shops and direct sales, and made sure that over 97 per cent of Britain now has super-fast broadband coverage.

"There is more to do - and there is much to guard against."

Lizzie Hacking, chair of CRF, said the manifesto had provided a comprehensive platform to support farmers and rural communities.

"We aimed to compile policies to support a thriving rural economy and address some of the barriers faced by those living in rural or remote areas," she added.

"These policies would enhance the fantastic work that has already been done by the Government.

"The Rural Development Fund has delivered hundreds of millions of pounds of investment to rural communities and the national food strategy has outlined how to support farmers who are feeding the nation."

The CRF has outlined how it will support farmers going forward under the following areas:

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Agriculture

• Taking back bio-security control from Wales 
• Introduce a rural retirement dwelling
• Inheritance tax relief for farmers
• Agri-trade advisors attached to embassies
• Support for abattoirs and regional funding for mobile slaughterhouses 
• Commitment to preserve the rights of private property against 'Right to Roam'
• Adopt the recommendations in the Rock Review to secure the future of the UK's food security.

Crime

• Commitment for every rural police force to have a dedicated rural crime team

Health

• Make dentistry training more rural-focused
• Adopt the recommendation of the EFRA Committee to form a national working group to ‘rural proof' health policy
• Expand mobile diagnostics hubs

Environment

• Bring delegated responsibilities of Natural England and the Environment Agency back into Defra
• Septic tank upgrades to be a nutrient neutrality offset 

Field sports

• Drop licensing requirements for gamebird releases
• CRF says shooting is worth £2 billion to the rural economy and responsible for thousands of jobs

Economy

• Extend permitted development rights to unlock greater benefit to the rural economy by encouraging diversification
• Repurpose redundant agricultural buildings and sites should also be encouraged and the recommendations of the Unleashing Rural Opportunity Paper adopted. 
• Enshrine access to cash into legislation by adopting recommendations from LINK's access to rural cash
• Fairer funding distribution for local authorities - recognising the additional costs that local authorities in rural areas require to provide the same level of service as urban councils.
• Introduce satellite vouchers where fibre is unavailable
• Strengthen mobile phone coverage

Education

• Encouraging the opportunity for schools to introduce food, farming and cooking

Energy

• Protect most productive land (grade 1, 2 and 3) by banning solar Installations
• Launch Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation consultation and implement conclusions quickly
• Extend heating oil tax break to hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel

Transport

• Extend £2 bus fare cap scheme

• Commitment not to introduce a road pricing policy

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