Taranaki farmer fined $15,000 for illegal NAIT tag swapping
A Taranaki farmer and livestock agent who illegally swapped NAIT tags from cows infected with a bovine disease in an attempt to sell the cows has been fined $15,000.
John Emile Schepens (67) was sentenced in the Dargaville District Court last week, on 18 August 2022, on two charges under the National Animal Identification and Tracing Act 2012, following a prosecution by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
MPI regional manager Animal Welfare and NAIT Compliance, Brendon Mikkelsen says the scheme plays a critical part of New Zealand’s ability to respond quickly to biosecurity threats.
"We take non-compliance seriously because of the potentially devastating effect to industry and communities, if the tracing and containment of a significant outbreak such as Foot and Mouth Disease was hampered by poor NAIT information. Mr Schepens failed to put into place a system to ensure his animals were both tagged and registered with NAIT. We cannot afford complacency,” he says.
Schepens has been the registered person in charge of animals (PICA) for a decade. He has approximately 800 NAIT animals. Over a period between May 2019 and May 2021, he received educational letters, reminders, and an infringement notice for moving 32 unregistered cattle off farm. Despite the warnings and action, the situation didn’t improve.
MPI charged Schepens under the NAIT Act for moving 27 cattle off farm between 30 June and 3 July 2021 and for a further 469 cattle still not registered on 10 February 2022.
"If you are unsure about what you need to do, reach out. There is plenty of information, advice and support available,” says Mikkelsen.
