The Rural Voice, 1997-10, Page 58BRUCE
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
• The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County Farmers by the BCFA.
Landowner -sportsmen access agreement to permit hunting/fishing
Well, it's finally here: a lease
agreement between farmers and
sportsmen.
After several years of thought and
legal wording the Ontario Federation
of Agriculture (OFA) together with
the Ontario Federation of Anglers and
Hunters (OFAH) have come up with
something that should work well for
all concerned. This is not in any way
meant to be compulsory. It is only an
added -value agreement that can create
additional income for agriculture.
There is a suggestion that is
included in the agreement that the
OFAH has liability insurance that a
sportsman should have if he is to
protect the landowner. There is no
reason a sportsman could not have
other adequate liability insurance —
as long as the landowner has the
sportsman's updated policy number.
Since being asked if the Bruce
County Federation of Agriculture
(BCFA) could do something to
improve relations, mainly between
hunters and farmers, we have had both
support as well as controversy.
As a Director with BCFA I have a
responsibility to farmers. As a hunter I
was opposed to doing anything. The
more we thought about the situation,
the more we realized that rules were
being set up on an individual basis
with no unified system. Things like
this tend to get controlled by
government – not a good scenario for
either farmers or hunters.
With hunters being squeezed from
every angle, 70,000 landowners on
our side would have a solid political
clout to allow us to keep our sport.
As a fanner, what's in it for me?
The list can be as long as one's
imagination. Actual cash for a lease,
bed and breakfast, sale of other farm
products, city contacts for discount
items, free labour (love that one), a
better understanding of agriculture,
just to name a few.
The one comment that farmers
have said to me the most is "I would
not feel right to charge for the use of
my land." No one said you have to.
54 THE RURAL VOICE
However, just a few questions. Do
you pay for the gas to go to a
restaurant, grocery store, movie, golf
course (farmland), ball game, hockey
game, or any other place? Do you pay
for the items at any of these places?
Do the people who hunt or fish on
your property own any business where
you get everything free?
Two comments stand out from
hunters. "I'm doing the farmer a
favour by reducing the number of
geese, deer, raccoons, foxes and
wolves." The second comment was "I
pay enough for licenses, I shouldn't
have to pay anything to a farmer."
There is an article in the March
1997 Canadian Cattlemen that
discusses paid hunting. A quote "paid
hunting will turn hunting into an elitist
sport, open only to the rich." The rich
have already been buying the best
hunting areas. This is not necessarily
beneficial to agriculture.
The cost of owning land is a lot
higher than a few dollars for a lease to
have undisturbed recreation with
family and a few friends. The ques-
tion? What is it worth? The OFAH has
stated that they might be interested in
obtaining a list of landowners who
would lease their land. The sportsman
could then contact a landowner in the
area where they wanted to hunt. You
are, then, on your own. Like selling
cattle, whatever the market is.
I have several concerns about
leases covering too much for too long.
As farmers, we have problems with
crop damage due to raccoons. Most
lease agreements will have to do with
deer, grouse, and duck hunting.
Prospective lessees should be aware
that coon dogs can't read and that they
chase raccoons not deer. Foxes and
coyotes can't read either and they
wander wherever. They also can cause
financial grief to farmers. The people
who chase these animals do a lot to
help the local economy either by fuel
consumption, equipment, dog food
and by reducing crop and livestock
damage. And let's not forget the local
trappers. They count on an income
from furs which keeps everything
healthy including farm livestock.
There is a section on the lease
agreement stating what can be hunted
and when. You just check off which
species are involved. To any
landowner who hopes to have the time
to make use of his or her woodiot for
the upcoming season, good luck!
Lease agreements can be obtained
from local OFA county offices.0
Submitted by Lloyd Graham
BCFA Second Vice President
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Monday, November 17, 1997
8:00 p.m. '
OMAFRA Boardroom, Walkerton
Members are welcome to attend
NOTE: There will be NQ Board
Meeting on October 27 Due to
Annual Meeting November 1
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
56th Annual Meeting and Banquet and
OFA Regional Meeting
Saturday, November 1, 1997
Royal Canadian Legion
630 Green Street, Port Elgin
Guest Speaker: Ross Daily, Host "This Business of Farming", BBS - T.V.
Social: 6:30 p.m. Banquet 7:00 p.m.
Tickets $12.50/Person
Tickets are available from any Township Director or by calling the office at
364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551