FARM CRIME IS HEART HEAVY

You will never know what it takes to raise a farm until you have devoted your whole life to it and you will never really appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that these farmers go through to put food on your table.   When someone starts to steal from these farms it really affects the supply chain and the farmers themselves.  Director Geoff Morrisson puts together this fascinating eye-raising of a web series together that is called Farm Crime recently launched on CBC which shows through different episodes the lives of farmers across Canada where their livestock has been stolen.  These heinous acts incur a financial loss for the farmers in which they might not be able to attain back.  It is more than heart-wrenching when you see these farmers experience their loss because it is their love and passion and above all, it is what they do to make ends meet.  Farm Crime is a must watch because awareness must be raised to keep farmers nationwide on their toes and to get the government to treat  this crime in an urgent fashion in the future.  FERNTV spoke to Geoff Morrison about how serious Farm Crime is and how serious it should be treated.

FERNTV:   Is this a small sample size of what really goes on in Canada in terms of Farm Crime?

Geoff:  It’s hard to estimate how much farm crime occurs because a lot of it goes unreported, but it’s definitely fair to say that this is a small sample size. And as far as the series goes, there was a concerted effort to share a good cross-section of stories to show that there’s a wide range in both scale and industry, in which these crimes take place.  

FERNTV:   Can you give us an example, what security would cost for a farm whether it would be chicken, bees etc.  and how good would the security be?

Geoff:  I’m not sure I can 😉 I really don’t have any idea of the cost, only that effective security for some of these industries is nearly impossible because of the size of their operations and cost (whatever that may be) of implementation. In theory, if the cost was not an impediment, you could build a security system that prevents all theft, but rarely is that the case. There’s a commonly held notion, especially by non-farmers or urban folk, that the farming and agriculture industry is safe, friendly and trustworthy, and doesn’t need a lot of security measures – and for some places that still applies – but it’s definitely not immune from crime. 

FERNTV:   Comment on how technology and social media can still be detrimental to people who live in rural areas?

Geoff:   With respect to rural crime, and particularly farm crime, social media can be used as a tool by perpetrators to do reconnaissance and find out what’s going on at a target’s operation. One of the stories the series explores includes a pair of first generation farmers who are having great success in marketing their business on social media, but they feel that it may have also made them more vulnerable to theft, because those looking to steal from them would know when certain animals were ready to be sold, or when crops were ready to harvest. Credit to these farmers, they refused to be deterred by the crimes perpetrated against them and continue to share news about their growing farms on social media.

FERNTV:  Harper has done many cuts that affected the Fisheries and Oceans, do you feel that they have done a sufficient job in helping George with his case in the George of Green Gables episode?

Geoff:  George’s case is an interesting case because he really did everything by the books to make sure that the person stealing from him could be effectively prosecuted. He’s lucky his friend, Andy was watching over the oyster lease and that he did such a good job gathering evidence because I think the perpetrator had already left the scene of the crime by the time Fisheries showed up, so he very easily could have gotten away with it. But when the Fisheries officer arrived, they collected the evidence and charged the person. The crappy part for George was that he didn’t get his oysters back. His case was a real anomaly though – it’s incredibly rare for someone to be caught and successfully prosecuted for stealing oysters.

FERNTV:   Do you feel that the RCMP do a sufficient job in these cases of farm crime?

Geoff:  I think the RCMP do the best they can with the resources they have. This means prioritizing violent crimes, so sometimes property crimes might get the shaft when resources are stretched. But when they have the time, I think they can do a good job. One of the cases we looked at involved the theft of several dozen cattle, and the RCMP had a dedicated livestock enforcement officer who took the case on and did a great job investigating it and gathering evidence, and ultimately brought the perpetrator to justice. From what I gather, the harder thing for the victims is how the courts and justice system respond, and if the punishments are sufficient, and enough of a deterrent.

FERNTV:  Why did these people want to tell their story in this series?

Geoff:   The participants were incredibly generous and brave in sharing their stories, and I suspect they each had their own reasons. If I were to pick one reason that applies across the series, it would be awareness. Most people, especially urban Canadians, simply don’t know that these kinds of crimes are taking place, and yet they feel the ripple effects, whether it’s an increase in the cost of honey or blueberries, or concern generally about food safety.

FERNTV:  What is the one thing that you learned about doing this series that you don’t make mention of?

Geoff:  Probably a greater appreciation of the work that farmers do to keep their businesses alive and put food on our tables. That message is kind of embedded in the series, at least in the food-related stories, but it can’t be overstated. The other thing would be the fact that these crimes are taking place in the first place, which was incredibly revealing as we researched the series and began speaking with some of the victims. We definitely felt the responsibility to tell these stories in a respectful manner, but that also be enlightening and accessible to an audience unfamiliar with these worlds. 

FERNTV:  The presentation of this series on CBC felt like you were watching it on Netflix.  Can you comment on that?

Geoff:  It’s no secret that CBC has been investing a lot of resources in its transition to digital broadcasting and offering its programs on multiple platforms, and I think they’ve adapted incredibly well. They have a mandate to make their content accessible to Canadians, who are overwhelming consuming content via digital platforms. It makes perfect sense that CBC would create an app – similar in function to the Netflix app, which along with YouTube, dominates the Canadian streaming market – and it functions really well! Not to sound like I work for CBC (I don’t), but to me, it’s a no-brainer to download the CBC app – you can watch all of their programmings for free (or ad-free via subscription), including live channels, hockey games, etc. And if Farm Crime feels like something you might find on Netflix, that’s not a bad thing either, because at the heart of the series is real, honest, human stories about Canadians and told from a Canadian perspective. Which hopefully makes for an engaging watch, while also fulfilling the CBC’s mandate.

https://watch.cbc.ca/season/farm-crime/season-1/0a722bfe-ac0e-4b9f-9bf4-9b31c892b32e

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