Over the course of a year, Andrew James Wright, of Tokanui, constructed seven feed pads and effluent ponds, none of which were lined or properly constructed.
Wright was convicted in the Invercargill District Court yesterday for 35 breaches of the Resource Management Act relating to his operation of a large-scale Wagyu feedlot between July 2023 and November 2024, during which time he repeatedly discharged agricultural effluent into the Tokanui Stream.
During sentencing yesterday, Judge Kelvin Reid described Wright’s behaviour as ‘‘cavalier’’ and said his attitude towards the offending was notably dismissive.
‘‘The feed pads and effluent ponds were established in a crude manner ... livestock were seen standing in liquid sludge that reached the udders.’’
Wright tried to argue bad weather in the spring of 2024 had affected his ability to manage the waste left by his livestock, but the judge denied this claim.
He highlighted many of the discharges clearly took place, at the latest, during autumn and winter.
‘‘Your offending was deliberate and offending was very high ... it was of a nature that does not often come before this court.’’
Wright was well aware of the spring’s existence but claimed he had taken measures to stop the effluent reaching it.
Environment Southland officers who investigated the farm estimated over 480,000 litres of effluent were sprayed down the gully.
The council investigated repeatedly from September to November in 2024 but were not fully informed about the scale of his farming operation until much later.
Effluent had flowed into the nearby Tokanui Stream, leaving organic material lodged in the waterway and growths of sewage fungus, the court heard.
Over the course of a year, the prosecution estimated Mr Wright made over $1.8 million from his 523 Wagyu cows.
The judge said significant environmental damage had occurred and although the defendant had made remedial efforts, they were not significant enough for a sentence reduction.
Judge Reid said compliance appeared to be a low priority for the defendant.
Wright was convicted and sentenced to 12 months’ home detention, the maximum time that can be served on such a sentence.
In the previous case against him, during the winter of 2013 at an Ida Valley farm, visiting vets and MPI inspectors found a lame bull, several sick, dehydrated and seriously underweight dairy cows and sheep, and a dead lamb partly eaten by birds.
There was no winter feed available, no reticulated water supply and very little grass.
Wright was ultimately fined $23,250, plus almost $9000 in expenses and costs.
The court also ordered his farming activities be supervised for 12 months by a person approved by MPI.
He also was convicted of livestock theft in 2020, stealing 20 steers from his neighbours while they were on holiday, Stuff reported. For that he was ordered to pay just over $20,000 in reparations and fined an additional $1500.
