Too Lenient
OPINION: Reckless action by Greenpeace in 2024 forced Fonterra to shut down a drying plant for four hours, costing the co-op about $300,000.
The conviction follows three separate prosecutions taken by Waikato Regional Council under the Resource Management Act (RMA).
Stella Farming Ltd, LTB Farms Ltd, Scott Blundell and Michael Davidson all faced charges relating to unlawful discharges of dairy effluent through improper use of irrigators.
They were fined $44,000, $26,000, $2,000 and $36,000 respectively by Judge Jeff Smith in the Huntly District Court on 1 December.
Blundell, an employee of LTB Farms, was also sentenced to 100 hours community service.
Stella Farming Ltd faced an additional charge for failing to exclude stock from a waterway.
All the breaches occurred between March and August 2024 in the wider Te Awamutu area.
Waikato Regional Compliance Manager, Patrick Lynch says that effluent irrigation is critical to dairy farm management but when done improperly, it can cause negative impacts on waterways.
"All farmers have a responsibility to ensure their systems are fit for purpose and operated correctly," Lynch says.
Waikato Regional Council says it remains committed to ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and protecting the region’s waterways and land from harmful discharges.
