In the six-and-a-half weeks since the NSW government introduced new anti-trespass and biosecurity regulations in a bid to deal with so-called "vegan vigilantes", farmers have been snapping up warning signs to display on their properties
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More than 33,000 free warning signs have been ordered by the Department of Primary Industries to give away to property owners.
At least 500 of the signs were given away by staff of the Riverina Local Lands Service during the Henty Machinery Field Days this week.
Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the uptake was a clear indication of "just how serious the threat of trespass was to farmers and how desperate farmers were to protect their homes and livelihoods from the threat of trespass".
"So far we have distributed more than 22,000 signs with another 11,000 in production to be distributed through the 11 Local Land Services regions," Mr Marshall said.
"We've also provided another 1000 to the NSW Police Force Rural Crime Prevention investigators.
"Farmers were crying out for protection from the unhindered vigilante behavior they have endured the past few years, and this is just the first part of my plans for people who will use any means and any justification to crush our farmers."
Changes to the Biosecurity Regulation 2017 now make it compulsory for anyone entering a farm to comply with a Biosecurity Management Plan.
Riverina Local Land Services' manager of biosecurity and emergency services Michael Leane has urged farmers to visit one of the services' offices to get help creating a biosecurity plan.
