fbpx
Print this page
Thursday, 14 November 2019 11:45

Hefty fine for ‘careless’ farmer

Written by  Staff Reporters
Judge Dickie described the actions as “highly careless”. Judge Dickie described the actions as “highly careless”.

A Waikato farming company has been slapped with a $63,000 fine for unlawful discharging of farm effluent.

The convictions and fines were imposed last week on B & B Singh Ltd by Judge Melinda Dickie in the Hamilton District Court. 

Judge Dickie also issued an enforcement order requiring the farmer to install appropriate effluent infrastructure on the property. The company is owned by Gurnam Singh.

The prosecution was taken by Waikato Regional Council, under the Resource Management Act, following inspections of the farm’s effluent system.  

The first inspection on 17 August 2018 found a pipe from the cowshed discharging effluent directly onto the ground.When the council re-inspected the system on September 26, 2018 the same pond was found still overflowing.

In sentencing notes released earlier this month Judge Dickie stated, “It is unacceptable to be aware of the failings in a system and to not take steps to address those failings or mitigate them until they can be addressed.”

In reflecting on the farm’s history and most recent failings, she described the defendant’s actions as “highly careless”.

More like this

Fliegl offers effluent solutions

Founded in Germany as recently as 1977, today, the Fliegl Group employs more than 1100 workers, offering an expansive range of transport solutions, from their base in Bavaria.

Featured

Big return on a small investment

Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.

Editorial: Sensible move

OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.

National

Machinery & Products