In the Huntly District Court on December 1, Judge Jeff Smith imposed penalties on Stella Farming Ltd ($44,000), LTB Farms Ltd ($26,000), individual farmer Scott Blundell ($2,000) and Michael Davison ($36,000) for the environmental breaches. Blundell was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service related to his role in one of the offences, underscoring that consequences can include non-monetary penalties alongside fines.

Waikato Regional Council’s enforcement manager Patrick Lynch stressed that correct effluent irrigation is an essential part of responsible dairy farm management, and that poorly executed systems can cause significant harm to waterways and surrounding land when misused or neglected. These convictions reflect ongoing efforts by regulators to uphold water quality standards and protect environmental resources in a region with intensive dairy operations.

The breaches involved improper use of effluent irrigators, which can lead to runoff entering streams and tributaries if not managed with appropriate infrastructure and oversight. In the case of Stella Farming Ltd, an additional charge was added for failing to exclude livestock from a waterway, amplifying the environmental concern and penalty.