UNION members in Dorset can have their say on the efficiency of broadband and mobile phone coverage on farms in a survey.

The National Farmer’s Union (NFU) has launched the survey which asks farmers for their opinions on the speed and connectivity of broadband across farms. It will run until Wednesday, September 27.

It follows benchmark surveys carried out by the union in 2015 and 2016, which highlighted that access to broadband and mobile signal is an ongoing issue for its members.

The survey asks questions about the types of devices farmers use, and the barriers that prevent them from using digital technology to assist them in farm management.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith said the government is "not doing enough" for farmers and rural communities to get connected.

“The NFU is calling on the government to make the digital economy universal so that every farming business can access superfast broadband at speeds they can afford, with coverage across all of their farms," he said.

“The UK as a whole is lagging behind other countries, reportedly being 31st in the world for average broadband speed and 54th for 4G coverage.

"It is also troubling to us that 4G coverage is being rolled out at a slower rate to rural areas and voice coverage is falling out. Previously, our surveys have shown that only 15 per cent of farmers have mobile coverage across the farm. Our members need a plan in place to accelerate the delivery of rural services and lay the foundations for 5G services."