Ste-Anne-de-Prescott — At the Bedard and Sons dairy farm they fear an anti-hog farm protestor burned the canvas off their new Cover-all shelter in the early hours of Saturday August 23. The arsonist left a clue – a small toy pig on the ground at one end of the shelter, which was empty at the time.

The family of Marcel Bedard and his brother Richard, just east of Vankleek Hill and north of the village of Ste. Anne-de-Prescott, say they know of anti-hog farm protestors in their area but never expected anyone would use extreme measures to attack them.

The fire burned some of the wooden studs on the Cover-all structure and, if the wind had changed direction, could have set fire to their dairy barn, a Bedard family member told Farmers Forum. Damage could be as high as $25,000, the Bedard family estimates.

A neighbour driving by at about 1 a.m. August 23 noticed the fire and called the fire department.

The Bedards had hoped to build three hog barns until the local municipality of East Hawkesbury last fall shut that idea down by limiting hogs at one farm to 150 animal units. The Bedards also faced local protests. Panicking area residents crowded a township meeting and moaned bitterly about animal numbers and odor. The Bedards plan to re-apply for a building permit when Bill 81, Ontario’s nutrient management act, comes into effect this month. "We don’t even have a permit," said a Bedard family member, "and we get this threat."

She fears for her family and is surprised by the attack because the Bedard farm has always acted according to the law.