Farm trespassers are a potential threat even if they don't enter a barn.   Ottawa—The federal and provincial governments should give a lot more recognition to the livestock care codes developed under the Canadian Animal Care Council, says Lisa Bishop-Spencer of Chicken Farmers of Canada. A protocol that recognizes and backs up the care codes would be a strong message to consumers that “the story of animal care in Canada is not the nightmare that they think it is,” she told the Commons agriculture committee. “Many of the animal care sectors throughout Canada, if not most, have very vigorous and in many cases mandatory on-farm food safety programs that do have an FPT protocol to back them up,” she said. The care codes deserve the same status. “If we could have something similar for our mandatory animal care programs, that would give us a lot of leverage and a lot of powerful messaging to consumers that in fact we have an excellent system in Canada that is not only mandatory but enforceable and is something that has teeth.” The committee is studying a bill by Alberta Conservative MP John Barlow to stiffen penalties for anti-animal agriculture activities who trespass on farms. Nick de Graaf, first vice-chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada, said farmers fear “the possibility of activists trespassing on our properties and into our chicken barns with the intention of what they think is saving the animals and protesting our commitment to carefully raising safe chicken.” The care codes have a solid, credible and science-based foundation “that guarantees that the highest standards of biosecurity and disease prevention are in place on the farm.” Having activists invade a farm “rattles a farmer's sense of security and privacy and creates deep concern about biosecurity and what seems like an ongoing attack on our livelihoods. It is likely that outsiders entering a farm or private property that raises animals do not know about the biosecurity requirements on Canadian chicken farms and, in the case of activists, do not respect them.” Bishop-Spencer said the activist trespassing on farms puts at risk everything farmers do to ensure their livestock stays healthy. “This is something that is put at risk every time there's an invasion or a takeover of a farm. We have to make sure that we're doing everything we can to prevent that as much as possible.” Brian Evans, a former Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada, said there are many ways farm animals can become infected and it could occur without trespassers even entering a barn. “Contamination of the water supply or grazing areas can also be a way by which animals can be exposed to food safety issues in terms of toxic substances.” While the level of threat has to be looked at in terms of the intent of trespassers, “there are those with deliberate intent who, regardless of how well-informed they are, will still make efforts to disrupt agricultural production based on values that are disconnected from where agriculture is today.” Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.