Farm Bureau and sportsmen back Sunday hunting, stronger trespass tools to address crop damage
January 25, 2025 | Game Commission, TOURISM & RECREATION, Executive Departments, Organizations, Executive, Pennsylvania
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Representatives of agriculture and sportsmen told the Pennsylvania Game Commission during public comment that crop damage is a major financial issue for farmers and urged practical measures including Sunday hunting, better trespass enforcement and tools to connect landowners with reputable hunters.
Mitchell Kerrick, state and local affairs specialist for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said crop damage has cost farmers "millions of dollars annually" and that his organization supports Sunday hunting as one tool to reduce agricultural losses. Kerrick said Farm Bureau policy is developed through a grassroots county-level process and that the organization's support for Sunday hunting was driven by members' concerns about crop damage.
Kerrick asked for complementary measures: stronger trespass laws, an updated system to connect farmers with reputable hunters and increased representation for agricultural landowners on the Game Commission or its advisory processes. "Moving forward, our continued support of Sunday hunting is contingent on practical measures, such as stronger trespass laws, updating a system to connect farmers with reputable hunters, and ensuring agricultural landowners have adequate representation on this board," Kerrick said.
Ed Sadler and other federation speakers said the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists supports Sunday hunting and related wildlife-committee measures adopted for review, and expressed appreciation that the commission is pausing other changes until impacts of recent reforms are evaluated. Mike Kriner encouraged public engagement with the commission and urged landowners and hunters to stay involved in the policy process.
Why it matters: crop damage affects farm incomes and local economies and is a frequent consideration in season-setting and permit programs. Commenters asked the commission to treat Sunday hunting as one of several management tools tied to enforcement and landowner-hunter coordination.
No formal policy change was recorded during the public-comment period.
Mitchell Kerrick, state and local affairs specialist for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said crop damage has cost farmers "millions of dollars annually" and that his organization supports Sunday hunting as one tool to reduce agricultural losses. Kerrick said Farm Bureau policy is developed through a grassroots county-level process and that the organization's support for Sunday hunting was driven by members' concerns about crop damage.
Kerrick asked for complementary measures: stronger trespass laws, an updated system to connect farmers with reputable hunters and increased representation for agricultural landowners on the Game Commission or its advisory processes. "Moving forward, our continued support of Sunday hunting is contingent on practical measures, such as stronger trespass laws, updating a system to connect farmers with reputable hunters, and ensuring agricultural landowners have adequate representation on this board," Kerrick said.
Ed Sadler and other federation speakers said the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists supports Sunday hunting and related wildlife-committee measures adopted for review, and expressed appreciation that the commission is pausing other changes until impacts of recent reforms are evaluated. Mike Kriner encouraged public engagement with the commission and urged landowners and hunters to stay involved in the policy process.
Why it matters: crop damage affects farm incomes and local economies and is a frequent consideration in season-setting and permit programs. Commenters asked the commission to treat Sunday hunting as one of several management tools tied to enforcement and landowner-hunter coordination.
No formal policy change was recorded during the public-comment period.
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