News Views: Quiet cannons
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Updated: July 14, 2009 3:00 PM
The days of blueberry cannons may be coming to an end, at least if opponents of the controversial bird-scaring devices get their way.
Numerous innovative alternatives are now being suggested to both protect crops and the eardrums of residents.
Some of these techniques are still in their experimental stages, and farmers will no doubt want assurances that any cannon alternative they try will work before they change their farming methods.
Without those guarantees, they could be counting the costs of an extremely expensive experiment.
However, should these alternatives prove to be cost-effective and viable, then there is no reason why blueberry cannons should not be phased out.
We recognize the importance of agriculture, both to the economy and to the local job market.
That being said, non-farming residents also have the right to enjoy a relatively tranquil summer without cannons booming in the background.
It is time for the industry to pinpoint a new solution to keep airborne vermin away from their crops, and the sooner the better.
With an array of suggestions including birds of prey, kites and nets, there appears to be no shortage of alternatives.
– Abbotsford News (Black Press)
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