Could Saskatchewan farms be under attack?

Could Canadian farms be under attack?

Lieutenant Houston Johnson, an anti-terrorism expert,says some animal protectionist groups in the United States are gaining strength and are becoming more aggressive. So much so, he says, their activities are spreading to Canada, and farms.

Johnson has been monitoring protectionist groups in the United States for 15 years. He says as a result of illegal activities, many animal and ecology rights activists and protestors are now considered terrorists. And he says many extremist groups are gaining strength.

"More and more organized, better funded, they communicate very well across group boundaries. And share their successes, share their failures," says Johnson.

Johnson told the Annual Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Conference that agro-terrorism causes millions of dollars in property damage each year. In many cases, meat processing plants or animal research facilities are targeted. He says vigilance is needed to counter these actions.

"I wish what more producers, more owner operators, more facilities would do, is having a closer and a better working relationship with their local law enforcement. And that can help you to identify those things that are going on 60 miles away or 30 miles away," says Johnson.

With almost half of Canada's total farmland in our province, Saskatchewan is a potential target for agro-terrorism. Johnson says the release of deadly diseases in livestock or crops isn't out of the question.

Food safety has been an agricultural priority in Saskatchewan for years. The province, in cooperation with organizations such as the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan, continues to promote caring livestock practices.

Alanna Koch, Deputy Minister of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, says treating animals ethically is important to further Saskatchewan farming business. "Animal welfare is becoming an important factor in market access trade negotiations. If we want access to more markets, particularly European ones, we need to ensure we're on the leading edge of animal welfare. Fortunately we can rely on FACS and on meetings like this to keep the Saskatchewan and Canadian livestock industries in the forefront of animal welfare."

While there haven't been any serious problems in the province, Johnson warns that the danger is real, even if producers believe their animals are well treated.