Animal activist invasions: Farmers shouldn’t be left to live in fear

Farmers should not be selling their businesses because an extreme minority group think they can break the law, but that’s the reality, argues The Weekly Times.

Farming is hard enough without having livestock stolen, property damaged and being harassed for doing a job you love. Picture: Generic

FARMERS producing food and fibre for our nation, legally, should not be living in fear.

They should not be selling their businesses and abandoning what they do best because an extreme minority group think they can break the law — and get away with it.

But that’s the exact reality two Victorian farmers have faced.

The Weekly Times this week reveals a poultry farmer, whose family was left “psychologically damaged” from animal activist invasions and threats, was pushed to the point of selling his farm.

Farming is hard enough without having livestock stolen, property damaged and being harassed for doing a job you love.

This is the sentiment echoed by farmers across the country.

The laws need to change, but most importantly they need to be tough enough to deter extreme activists threatening the livelihoods of hardworking Australians, safety of livestock and the integrity of our country’s biosecurity.

We’ve heard it time and time again, straight from activists’ mouths, they don’t care about breaking the law and they don’t care about being caught.

The poultry farmer told The Weekly Times the activists who invaded his property had called police and media themselves. Perhaps jail and a criminal conviction would change that.

MORE: THE FINAL STRAW AS ACTIVISTS PUSH FARMERS OUT

FEAR GRIPS FARMING FAMILIES

As Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said: “We still need appropriate laws” and to find out “what is preventing magistrates to fully exercise their legal options”.

There are now two chances for farmers to officially have a say on what our federal and state government should consider. Submissions to the Senate inquiry close July 31 and the Victorian inquiry, August 2.