Getting tough on cattle rustlers

 Concerns are mounting around stock rustling and the ability to stop it. Ironically, the morning of writing this I was actually out hunting down one of my own heifers, which in the end I found but it gets the heart pumping when you think it has been stolen.

After a farmer’s cows were shot with a crossbow at the southern end of the Hunua Ranges, questions are being raised as to what rights farmers have to stop a poacher or thief on their property? Not only do farmers have limited rights to stop people stealing their stock, but we’ve got to ask whether the penalties imposed are serious enough to be a deterrent for either rustling or poaching?  Based on the Federation’s experience to date they are not.

We know stock theft/rustling and poaching has been estimated to cost the farming community $120 million each year, yet we see little done in this regard by the police.  To be fair there are some police out in the provinces who make a concerted effort to address the issue, and we are grateful to them, but it would be great if they all did. It shouldn’t be luck of the draw to which province you happen to farm in.

Farmers are isolated and vulnerable to the armed thieves turning up on their property. We know from a recent survey of our members that sheep and beef farmers are the hardest hit, which I put down to less staff on farm making them an easy target. They need better support. Trying to detain an armed poacher for an hour or so until the police arrive is not practical or safe.

The level of violence these poachers are displaying is appalling, as are the penalties being handed down to the few who get caught. While a dog worrying stock gets shot, a poacher killing stock gets slapped with a wet bus ticket. There needs to be stronger deterrent if we are going to stop this behaviour. Rural communities and police need to work more closely together in responding to rustling and poaching events.

It’s not just farmers’ livelihoods losing out, our economy does to. At this time of year most ewes are dipped and lambs drenched, which requires a withholding period on when they can be processed. This opens up a health and safety and food safety risk for consumers who are eating black market produce that may be still inside the holding period and will not be fit for consumption.

If a consumer gets ill from eating black market produce it reflects badly on New Zealand’s reputation of being safe producers of food. We know too well the cost of this as food safety issues have tarnished us before. To avoid the risk, consumers should only be buying produce from supermarkets, butchers or farmers markets where the product has been through the quality assurance process, and the farmer has the proper documentation that the product is fit for consumption.

Recently New Zealand First announced they were pushing for stronger penalties in this area. National and Act are pushing for harsher penalties such as confiscating equipment used in the crime, as is the case for fisheries offences, and increase maximum jail sentences to reflect the harm done to farmers, and their vulnerability in remote areas. This is encouraging but we need all political parties to take this seriously, especially because in many instances weapons are being used.

To get all police to take it seriously farmers need to work together to report crimes and record suspicious behaviour, because in our discussions with police they do want to know and paint a better picture of the size of the issue and where the hot spots are. The more cases reported the more resources police will dedicate to the problem. So keep using the Crimestoppers hotline, 0800 555 111, and the ‘Stop Stock Theft’ website and hopefully we will see harsher penalties delivered.

• Chris Irons is Federated Farmers Waikato meat & fibre chair