The NFU is urging households who dispose of waste and rubbish, which ends up dumped on farmland, to take more responsibility or face the risk of prosecution.

Fly-tipping is continuing to be a major problem for farmers across the country and this Easter it will be the new focus of the NFU's successful Love your Countryside campaign which launched last year.

In England alone during 2012/13 there were 711,000 incidents of fly-tipping with a case occurring every 44 seconds. It's estimated around two thirds of farmers are affected by fly-tipping. Items that are routinely dumped include old fridges, chairs, mattresses, tyres and contaminated waste, with farmers and landowners then left to pay the clean-up bill. A previous study revealed the cost of clearing fly-tipped waste from agricultural land was around £47m.

The NFU is aiming to raise awareness of the issue and remind homeowners they have a duty of care to ensure their rubbish is disposed of correctly while encouraging them to report any unscrupulous rogue traders.

NFU Deputy President Minette Batters said on Thursday, "Fly-tipping on private land remains a significant problem for farmers and landowners who are left frustrated when they, the victims of a crime, are left to clear up dumped waste and then made to pay to dispose of it. This waste is not only unsightly, it is a danger to human health, livestock and wildlife and in some cases can pollute watercourses and contaminate land.

"We want homeowners to be more responsible for their actions. They should ensure that any rubbish is taken away by a registered carrier and get a receipt. If not, they run the real risk of being prosecuted if any dumped waste is traced back to them. We must develop local solutions to tackle the issue by involving local authorities, the Environment Agency, police forces and farmers. By working together on a local level we can find effective solutions to the problem and in turn, back British farming."

Ways you can get rid of your unwanted goods responsibly include:

• Make sure that people who collect your waste are registered waste carriers. Ask for their waste carrier number and a receipt which includes the business address. Phone 03708 506506 to check their status.
• Take it to your local household waste recycling centre - visit your local authority’s website for details
• Arrange collection of difficult items e.g. fridges by your local council
• Give away what you don’t need through Freecycle ™ - it’s a great way to recycle unwanted goods and saves them going to landfill www.freecycle.org
• Donate unwanted goods to charity or local community furniture projects. Some charities even offer a collection service.