In every session of the North Dakota Legislature it seems a no trespass bill comes forward from a small group of people. Thankfully it has always been soundly defeated in the past as a bill that is a perennial bad idea in a new coat of paint. Our current recreational access law allows sportsmen to hunt private land that is not posted. It has stood the test of time and legislative compromise for most of ninety years. The new bill would require permission on all private land which is 93 percent of North Dakota, even from land owners who have never posted. As a farmer I believe this new trespass bill would be a public relations disaster for the agricultural community. Think about it.
Farmers have depended on public financial support to stay in business. Our rural electric grid was funded in part by tax dollars from the public and low-interest public loans. Throw in our good, publicly funded road system too that moves the grain and beef. Same public funding for the rural water systems we needed and the new high speed fiber optic lines that have made our farms more productive and more valuable. Try that on your own dime. I am grateful for that public support.
Right now farmers are waiting on $12 billion, (Yes, billion), dollars of public aid through USDA to make up for the trade war commodity price loss. In addition over the years the public, through USDA, has kicked in for disaster payments, direct crop payments, revenue assurance payments, prevented planting, drought payments, crop insurance subsidies, forage assistance, etc. Billions of taxpayer dollars from the public have flowed into the North Dakota ag community over time. So how will the ag community show gratitude now? With a no trespass bill?
A new statewide no trespass law seems to me a short-sighted and mean-spirited way to thank the hundreds of thousands of North Dakota citizens who hunt and fish in our state and have supported us in agriculture. Those sportsmen will go some place else and take their good will and dollars with them if this bill passes. That good will is too valuable to squander with a no trespass bill.
If the state tourism industry and main street businesses are on their toes, they aren't going to like the drop in revenue either when sportsmen are told to go elsewhere. Call your state legislators at 701-328-3373 to defeat the new no trespass bill proposal.
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