Dufferin OPP is reporting an increase in agricultural trespassing in Dufferin County, recently culminating in a serious instance being shared on social media. 

On the Canada Day Long Weekend there were two occurrences of people stopping on the side of Highway 10 in Melancthon Township and entering a Canola field to take photos. 

“While Canola is beautiful at this time of year, it is a crop. It is a large part of plant-based diets and a source of income for our farmers,” said Dufferin OPP in a media release. “The potential damage to this crop is valued at $2,000 if only one acre is damaged. It will increase if there was a larger area affected.”

Fields containing crops are not required to have fences or signage to deter people from entering, as stated in the Trespass to Property Act. This means entering a field, whether it is on foot or with an off-road vehicle, is trespassing. If a person damages crops, then a criminal charge of Mischief could be considered by a responding police officer.

Dufferin OPP is asking the public to call 1-888-310-1122 and report any incidents they see of people trespassing in farm fields.

“While Dufferin OPP will be monitoring for these situations, we do need public assistance. The situation that happened this past weekend was captured by photo, but a timely phone call to the police was not made,” Dufferin OPP noted in a press release.