New laws proposed for Australia look set to tighten penalties for activists who invade farms or disrupt farmers' livelihoods.
The South Australia state government is looking at new proposals including a maximum $10,000 (£5,585) fine or 12-month jail sentence for those who trespass on farms and disrupt farming operations.
The country's farming industry has witnessed a growing number of vegan-inspired activism recently.
Earlier this year, farmers demanded an animal rights group be banned from Facebook after it created a map which showed the location of farms.
Meanwhile, a video posted online in February shows the moment a farmer discharged his shotgun away from activists who refused to leave his property.
Lawmakers are also looking at increasing the fine for interfering with farm gates to $1500 (£840) and to triple the fine for disturbing farm animals to $2500 (£1395), according to the broadcaster 7 News.
South Australia Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said trespassing and causing damage on private property 'is not acceptable'.
“The new aggravated farm trespass offence would penalise a person who trespassed on primary production land and interfered with the conduct of primary production activities on the land, or did anything that puts the safety of people on the land at risk.
“Animal rights activists are tremendously passionate about their cause but trespassing and causing damage on private property is not an acceptable way of getting a message across,” she said.
