Representing farmers renting land on the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) - the UK's principle military training area.
Farming on the SPTA is a challenging business:
Military training, an ever more sophisticated process, takes priority.
Salisbury Plain is also home to the biggest chalkland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the world with flora and fauna which must be nurtured and protected.
A viable farming community is essential. The activity of farmers contributes to the very special environment, keeping the grass grazed prevents wildfires, farmers can articulate environmental initiatives and a "presence" on the land discourages unlawful activities such as hare coursing.
DELTA's activities:
Liaising with the Army and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) over a wide range of matters from rent levels to permissions to undertake environmental schemes. This underpinned by two fixed meeting a year between representatives of DELTA, the Army and DIO.
Developing environmental schemes, providing education teach-ins, investigating routes to funding and cooperating on landscape scale schemes.
Representing individual Members' interests on any matter from a tank damaged fence to tackling tenancy inheritance.