Reprint of Article from: FARM FOCUS, Yarmouth, N.S. Nov. 23, 1994 CRITTERNET - Newport Landing, Hants Co., N.S. grape grower Andrew Bennett checks the state of his 'Flexinet for Critters' which protects his fruit crop from the ravages of raccoons. Since its installation he says he has not had even one incident of animals bothering his vineyard.   "It has worked perfectly!" Grape grower Andrew Bennett of Newport Landing, Hants Co., N.S. was very definite about his opinions of the new flexible electrified netting product he uses to keep raccoons out of his vineyards. "Before I got the net fence the raccoons were coming in and feasting on the fruit. Since I put the fencing up I have not had even one incident of a raccoon raiding my vines," Bennett said. When asked to describe how well the fence works he said, "I only need one word - perfect." Phoenix Agritech (Canada) Ltd. of Truro, the North American distributor for the Critternet, which is designed to deter animal pests. "This 'Flexinet for Critters' has been used successfully in Britain for some time now to keep gardens protected from animals browsing for food," said company president Bruce Blacklock. "It has saved many farmers serious losses in crops from a variety of critters." The specially designed netting will provide loss prevention from groundhogs and skunks, as well as the raccoons, for vegetable crops and gardens. It will protect fish ponds from otter and mink. The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has suggested that the Super Flexinet version may well keep bears away from beehives. "Flexinet has proved itself to be a major tool in effectively combating animals that cause considerable damage to young crops getting established and produce ready for havesting by the farmer and not the wildlife," Blacklock said. The netting consists of horizontal heavy gauge polythene/stainless steel electroplastic twine with a further bottom horizontal strand and verticals of non-conducting plain polythene twine. It is supplied in 50 meter and 25 meter lengths supported at 12 foot intervals by all-plastic electric fencing posts already fitted to the netting. "I was really suprised at how easily I was able to put the fencing up," Bennett stated. The grape grower also said the kit was a very complete package. He said that his fencing system also maintained a better voltage than he had been told it would carrry and suggested that it was due to a good grounding of the system. Bennett has his fencing system energized by a high power 110 volt electric fencer unit, which plugged into the house mains. Flexinet can also be powered by a portable electric fencer using a 12V rechargeable battery. At the Bennett's vineyard a 4,500 volt plus is maintained throughout the almost one kilometer of fencing. "I find it very easy to move the fencing when one area of the vineyard is harvested to an area which is getting to the point where it needs protection,"said Bennett. "I'm very pleased I got this because it gives me something else to help me protect my crop from preventable damage." "There are enough other factors we can't control such as the weather," he added. Blacklock said complete enclosures will reduce crop losses dramatically, while strip fences along-side heavily infested areas, such as woodlands, will restrict losses to an acceptable level. "This is another development in the ever expanding field of technology which provides added security for the protection of valuable crops, not only cereals and fruit crops in agriculture but also for more intensive vegetable growing as in horticultural crops like sweet corn." Certainly Andrew Bennett is standing by the results it has provided him in his seven acre vineyard.