Fines and community service in three Waikato effluent cases

Two farmers and two farming companies have been convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending after three separate prosecutions were taken by Waikato Regional Council under the Resource Management Act.

Stella Farming Ltd, LTB Farms Ltd, Scott Blundell and Michael Davison all faced charges relating to unlawful discharges of dairy effluent through improper use of irrigators and were fined $44,000, $26,000, $2000 and $36,000 respectively by Judge Jeff Smith in the Huntly District Court on 1 December.

Mr 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, said: “Effluent irrigation is a critical part of dairy farm management, but when it’s done incorrectly, it can cause negative impacts on waterways. All farmers have a responsibility to ensure their systems are fit for purpose and operated correctly.”

Waikato Regional Council remains committed to ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and protecting the region’s waterways and land from harmful discharges.

A council officer finds a stream is a bit deeper than thought, when sampling for effluent.