ALA has been around since 1975 and is now the UK’s premier independent inter-professional organisation dealing on an agenda-free, non-partisan, non-political basis with all matters arising in connection with rural business. The membership of over 1,000 includes some of the leading practitioners in rural affairs in the UK and Europe today.

It exists to provide a forum for professionals serving agriculture – lawyers, surveyors, accountants, bankers, farm business consultants and others – to support each other in their specialisms.

ALA runs Day Conferences, usually but not exclusively in London, in which a detailed analysis of technical matters is presented, often in open discussion. Regional meetings also take place regularly, providing similar dedicated discussion of germane practical subjects and the opportunity to network “with the drawbridge down” in circumstances which modern systems of office working often do not permit.

This benefits especially those working either alone or in specialist departments of larger firms. In-depth analysis of current issues as well as updates on legislation and discussion of important recent cases appear in the quarterly ALA Bulletin. The dedicated Members’ Section of this site contains detailed information on matters of topical interest, including legislation and case reports.

ALA's annual residential training course – the Starter for Ten – gives basic instruction in the relevant disciplines for trainees and the newly qualified. The Fellowship of the Agricultural Law Association awards those who attend the advanced training and pass a written examination a badge of excellence by which they may distinguish themselves.

ALA is consulted by government on legislative and policy changes and, by maintaining its non-party political stance, provides impartial practical comment on proposed measures. It is also affiliated to the CEDR – the French acronym for the European Council for Rural Law – which is a body recognised on rural law by the European Commission, and provides members with a ready-made contact network throughout Europe, not just in the EU.

You might expect that for all these benefits you would have to pay a large fee – not so. We have been able to keep our fees relatively modest – only £75 per annum for a full year’s membership.

If you are a professional involved in rural business and want to know more about how to join ALA, please e-mail Geoff Whittaker at enquiries@ala.org.uk or telephone (01206) 383521.