Farmers and landowners throughout the Commonwealth face similar concerns – wildlife harming their crops and property. Many part-time farmers, small-scale orchards or dual income families are not eligible to personally protect their crops from animal damage.
 
Currently within Title 34 (Game), landowners must grow and sell crops “as a primary means of gaining a livelihood” to be eligible for agricultural protection. In essence, 50+% of a person’s income must stem from their property to utilize agricultural depredation programs.
 
To provide landowners, small and large, with the ability to better protect their crops and lands from nuisance wildlife, we are offering a new definition for “person” within Title 34, Chapter 21, Subchapter B.
 
Under our new definition, if a landowner operates a "normal agricultural operation" as defined in the Right to Farm Act, they may apply to protect their crops from wildlife. This would apply to agricultural operations greater than 10 acres, or operations that make $10,000 in revenue from their produce a year. The application process remains the same. The PA Game Commission still determines, and issues approval to qualifying farms.
 
Please join us in sponsoring this legislation to provide farmers and landowners the ability to better protect their crops and property.