The National Farmers' Union is the democratic organisation representing farmers and growers in England and Wales. In farming terms, this will exclude agricultural land with the exception of extensive grazing. These access rights will be permanent. To meet this objective, the Government will consider a voluntary as well as a legislative route.
Rights of way are the main form of public access to the countryside.
These come in the form of footpaths, bridleways or byways. In addition to these, there is a substantial amount of other land to which the public has access but not via a right of way. Access to this land is either by means of an Act of law or by voluntary managed access agreements. There are also a number of private informal agreements. An NFU Rights of Way survey undertaken in 1995 revealed that farmers do much to encourage access to the countryside in England and Wales.