The BC Farm Practices Protection Act,
antiquated legislation protecting ludicrous practices

By Andrew Holota - Editor - Abbotsford News
Published: June 27, 2009 8:00 AM

It’s called the Farm Practices Protection Act. More accurately, it ought to be called the “We’ll Do Whatever We Please And To Hell With Everyone Else Act.”

It’s this piece of antiquated legislation which is perpetrating one of the most ludicrous agricultural practices still going strong, and that is the use of propane cannons to scare off hungry birds.

It is quite beyond comprehension that someone actually dreamed up this idea in the first place; that being to create a device that generates an ear-splitting explosion – three of them in succession, actually – 10 times an hour – up to 350 blasts per day, per cannon. Then let’s put a several of these things in multiple fields, and let ‘em rip from morning till night, without concern or care for whoever else be within earshot. Maybe the inventor was deaf?

That doesn’t explain, however, how a legion of farmers not suffering hearing impairment actually seized on this bird-brained tactic and incorporated it into standard practice.

But that’s where we’re at.

Years ago, when blueberry farms were a rarity, and generally located in relatively unpopulated agricultural areas, the cannons weren’t a factor. However, blueberries have exploded (no pun intended) as a lucrative cash crop.

At the same time, myopic civic planners allowed residential development to expand cheek to jowl with agricultural land. Not surprisingly, complaints from residents are soaring.

The lame response from politicians of virtually every stripe? They point to the Farm Practices Protection Act – which shields the sacred cows of agriculture from contemporary common sense.

And the smug armchair critics of cannon opponents offer up the worn-out bromide that people who don’t like the cannons ought not to have moved close to a blueberry farm.

That’s simplistic, arrogant bunk.

What if the blueberry farm moved close to them? In many cases, farms that once concentrated on raspberries, or corn or myriad other crops, now feature vast fields of blueberries.

The larger point is this: There are countless regulations that control what private enterprise can and cannot do in the pursuit of profit.

For instance, farms are not allowed to pollute waterways. Agricultural operations face strident rules such as meat and dairy standards and inspections.

The health of the public is protected in those respects, but not in terms of stress and destruction of quality of life perpetrated by three months of noise pollution, which is otherwise recognized in civic bylaws that control everything from loud stereos to operating times for heavy equipment.

Clearly, there are costs to comply with all of those regulations.

But when it comes to propane cannons, the farmers’ arguments that they can’t afford the costs of alternatives, or that they are less effective and therefore cut into profits, stand unchallenged by officialdom.

I don’t buy it. And I try not to buy blueberries from farms that use cannons.

Maybe if everyone did that, the costs of sane anti-bird measures would suddenly seem more affordable.

Rise up, people. Make some noise.

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- on-line comments -

• Thank you Mr. Holota for your voice of reason. A boycott of blueberries may be the only thing the politicians and farmers may pay attention to. It's all about votes and money, not about doing the right thing.

• Excellent and long overdue commentary from the local media. The farmers are showing callous disregard for their neighbors. A boycott of farmers using cannons should be organized.

• I do not live near a blueberry farm, but the noise carries for miles and we are inundated with the constant noise for the better part of the summer - 6 am - 9 pm. I feel really sorry for those folks living beside the incessant, non stopping, totally irritating noise. We live in the year 2009 - there must be a better way for farmers to keep birds off their crop. Driving around I do notice many farms have chosen to be good community citizens and do not use the guns - good for you. It is the responsibility of our local government to look after the best interests of ALL their citizens. I am not impressed with how they a) view the problem, b) offer nothing but excuses and c) get nothing done. If neighbors to these farms chose to produce offensive, non stop noise, I'm sure they'd be hit with a noise citation. This issue should have been resolved a long time ago. It doesn't appear the farmers who choose to use this method care one bit about anyone but themselves so our local government will have to step in SOON. I encourage those impacted by this issue to contact Mayor Perry's office with your suggestions and expectations.