Tougher fines urged for farming polluters

Fish & Game has called on Fonterra to stop taking milk from the country's largest family dairying business after it copped its fourth conviction for illegal dairy discharges.

Taharua Ltd pleaded guilty and was fined $37,500 in the Environment Court in Napier on Friday.

The Green Party, however, says that though this is the biggest fine yet in New Zealand for a single dairy effluent discharge, it is not enough. The party is now calling for bigger fines for rural polluters.

CraFarm Group owns 80 per cent of Taharua, one of 14 farms in the central North Island and Waikato in which Allan Crafar, his wife Elizabeth and brother Frank have interests.

In late 2006, the 2700-hectare farm 28 kilometres southeast of Taupo discharged 188 cubic metres of effluent a day from its dairy shed - well over the 80 cubic metres permitted.

Fish & Game spokesman Bryce Johnson said the Crafars' record was a disgrace.

"It's time for Fonterra to put their money where their mouth is and look at whether these guys should be dairy farming at all. That sort of environmental abuse brings the whole industry into disrepute."