Almost half of farmers say fly-tipping has worsened in their local area over the past five years, according to a new survey by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
The survey of 515 NFU members found that 49% believed fly-tipping had increased, while 51% had experienced small-scale tipping on their land and 29% had experienced large-scale incidents.
Of those affected, 12% said perpetrators had been confrontational, violent or intimidating. One farmer reported that private security staff had been “shot at with air rifles”.
Farmers can also be left to meet the cost of clearing waste dumped on their land. The NFU said one farmer faced a £350,000 bill following a fly-tipping incident.
NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said stronger deterrents and a joined-up national approach were urgently needed to improve reporting, prevention, clean-up and prosecution.
“Fly-tipping must not be accepted as an inevitable part of farming or something else farmers are expected to take in their stride,” she said.
The NFU is calling for a single reporting mechanism, greater awareness of waste responsibilities, consistent partnership working and more effective punishments to deter illegal dumping.
The survey was carried out between 9 July and 21 August 2026.