Leaders examine measures to protect against farm trespass

Farm trespass is one possibility that agricultural enterprises need to take into consideration when protecting their assets and mitigating risk with measures like farm insurance.

People may trespass on farms for malicious purposes, such as intentionally destroying operations for animal welfare activitism. Other times, damage to farm property may come from actions like illicit fishing or dumping in waterways. Trespassers can also usher in biosecurity concerns, presenting possible risks for crops and the country's environmental well-being as a whole.

For these reasons and others, government officials and industry leaders from Australia and New Zealand have been discussing ways to better protect farmers against such activities. Niall Blair, New South Wales (NSW) minister for primary industries, and Barnaby Joyce, federal minister for agriculture, recently hosted a roundtable discussion to address this issue.

Representatives from other regions in Australia joined the leaders and the NSW police, RSPCA, NSW Farmers and other industry representatives. Noting NSW's progress in cracking down on farm trespassers, Mr Blair emphasised the need for a national policy.

"The NSW Government has already developed and released a policy on this issue, the NSW Farm Incursions Policy, and today represented an excellent opportunity to discuss a truly national approach in more detail," Mr Blair said.

"The issue is of national concern, but together we are united in this fight - producers, animal welfare enforcement agencies, industry associations, individual farmers, police and government."

The policy would work to raise awareness through an educational campaign, detailing risks and legal animal care practices. Penalties and preventive measures will work to deter trespassers, with a special mind to protect high-risk farms.

These issues have been in the spotlight for some time. In May, representatives attending the third meeting of Primary Industries agreed on the need for a 'consistent approach' to farm trespass as a means of protecting biosecurity, Queensland Country Life reported.

As leaders continue to work out a solution to prevent potentially harmful farm trespass, agricultural enterprises should do what they can to safeguard their operations, as part of a comprehensive risk management strategy. From accidental machinery damage to livestock intrusion, obtaining the appropriate farm and crop cover gives farmers piece of mind.