Federated Farmers says claims that farmers will resort to poisoning Canada Geese following a change in the bird's protective status are grossly irresponsible.
Fish and Game and some hunters are concerned that instead of shooting the geese, which farmers are now allowed to do, they will resort to using poison.
Last week, the Conservation Minister, Kate Wilkinson lifted the game bird status of Canada Geese to allow landowners and aviation managers to cull the birds themselves.
This means that Fish and Game will no longer manage the geese as a hunting resource and farmers won't be required to have a permit to shoot them.
Federated Farmer's game spokesperson, Donald Aubrey, says farmers have no plans to use poison to cull Canada Geese numbers.
He says the geese, as well as most of the country's indigenous wildlife is avian, so it would make it extremely difficult to even consider using poison.
