Farmers Resent Gun-Toting Environmental Officers

Feb 08, 2010

Pistol packing officers wearing bullet proof vests to investigate the whereabouts of an idle cow or the condition of a pesticide tank may be overkill.

At least that’s the opinion of a number of farmers who lobbied for a resolution here Saturday (Jan. 30) to have the provincial government remove the right for environmental protection officers to bear arms while conducting investigations on (Prince Edward) Island farms.

“It’s nothing but intimidation when they get out of the truck and walk up with guns and vests,’’ insisted Indian River potato grower Kenny McLellan. “This isn’t necessary; farmers are not a bunch of gun-toting thugs.”

The issue was the most controversial resolution dealt with at the annual meeting of the PEI Federation of Agriculture here Saturday (Jan. 30) at the New London Community Centre.

Under the Environmental Protection Act, officers are allowed to be armed and wear vests while conducting their work. But while farmers welcome the objectives, they deplore the methods.

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