In those old Westerns that were so popular with movie-goers not so many years ago, cattle-rustling was a recurring theme. Anyone who supposes that is a crime that disappeared ages ago would be wrong.

It turns out that problem is still with us in 21st-century America.

According to a recent Associated Press article, the re-emergence of livestock and farm commodity thefts has become a significant concern for farmers and ranchers. That development is apparently one of the consequences of the economic hard times that have afflicted our nation during the last several years.

That’s why earlier this month delegates from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation met to consider what punishments are appropriate for villains who steal cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans and other valuable agricultural assets.

With beef now bringing especially high prices, some experts expect cattle theft to become a growing problem. The financial gain from that illegal activity can be substantial. For example, the AP reported the case of an Iowa farmer who had 18 cattle stolen. They had a market value of $18,000.

In that case the criminal was caught but was fined only $1,000 and not sentenced to any jail time.

In Iowa the penalties for livestock thefts can vary widely. According to the AP, incarceration can range from a few days to 10 years. Fines can be as little as $200 or as much as $10,000.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation is right to focus attention on getting lawmakers to take a hard look at bringing our state’s statutes up to date. The penalties should be sufficient to deter would-be criminals from agricultural thefts. They also should be administered consistently wherever in the state the offenses occur.

The Messenger urges members of the Iowa Legislature to give this matter careful consideration when they reconvene in January.