Trespassers a problem for Simcoe farmers
Monday, November 3, 2014
Farm trespassing is more than just a nuisance; those who wander onto a farm can cause damage to crops and property, disturb livestock and even compromise biosecurity. Yet when it comes to punishing offenders, the laws don't have many teeth.
So says Keith Currie, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). In an opinion piece for the Barrie Examiner, he points out there is no minimum fine for trespassers on Ontario farms and "a poor process for reimbursing farmers for damages caused by unwanted visitors." The OFA wants to see a minimum fine of $500 and an increase in damage awards from $1,000 to a maximum of $25,000 (the same ceiling as Small Claims Court).
Currie says the OFA has been working with government to change the Trespass to Property Act since 2005.
Arguably the most destructive offenders are ATVs, which can tear up a field in short order. Acting Sergeant Richard VanderBoom of Hamilton Police Service told The Sachem & Glanbrook Gazette that ATVs trespassing on farmers' fields has become a "chronic complaint." VanderBoom advises stopping trespassers and removing the keys to their vehicle if possible, but cautions against physical confrontation. Taking photos of the license plate also helps.
A different approach to solving the problem is the creation of more trails. Bruce Murphy, president of the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicles, told CTV News in Barrie that a trail system similar to those used by snowmobilers would keep riders from straying onto fields. BF