The president of Keystone Ag Producers (KAP) feels proposed legislative changes address landowners' concerns about trespassers on private property.
KAP has long lobbied the provincial government for stronger legislation with tougher penalties to deter rural crime and trespassing.
The Manitoba Government is looking to amend the Petty Trespasses Act, the Occupiers Liability Act and the Animal Diseases Act. Read more: New Legislation To Help Prevent Trespassing On Private Property
Bill Campbell says the growing trend of rural crime and trespassing on farmyards and livestock operations is alarming and intimidating for farmers.
"There are concerns with regards to some of the bio-security and animal welfare and insurance that the products we deliver are safe," said Campbell. "Producers actually go to high standars to ensure the food products that they raise are safe for human consumption, and when we get in to trespassing we're not sure that the safety issues have not been compromised."
As Campbell understands it, previous rules under the Petty Tresspasses Act wouldn't allow for such cases to be prosecuted unless the tresspasser was confronted, and he feels that isn't a safe way for society to exist.
"We have heard numerous incidents of rural crime on the increase, and there's a real safety and fear factor happening in rural Manitoba when you see people enter your property," he explained. "We are not trained to deal with these confrontations and you never know what type of emotional or mental state that people are under, and so we need to have stronger law enforcement with regards to rural crime."
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