LONDON, Feb. 25 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
ADorsetfarmer has been prosecuted by the Environment Agency fornot increasing his slurry storageto prevent the risk of pollutionandcomply withEnvironmental Regulations.
Mark Pearson,ofHanford Farm, Hanford, Blandford in Dorset appeared beforeYeovilMagistrates Court on Tuesday2December. He pleadedguiltyto the offence and was fined £1200.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £480 and full costs of £4075.
Additionalslurry storage has now been installed.
The Court heard thatthere had beenmultiplepollution incidents involving the farm since 2012andPearson had failed to construct adequate slurry storage capacity.
The farmis located ina Nitrate Vulnerable Zone,anareadesignatedas being at risk from,orimpactedby,agricultural nitrate pollution. Excess nitrates can harm the environment and humans by leaching into groundwater and polluting waterways.
Farmers in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones must follow rulesgoverningslurry storage capacityas well as controls over when and how much spreading can take place.
Pearsonhadinitiallybeen given Environment Agency advice and guidanceto increase storage.
In January 2019, an Environment Agency officer was out walking his dog when he noticedwhat appeared to beslurryin a stream. He traced the runoff to a field at Hanford Farm andtook photographs as evidence.
During a formalinterviewundercaution, Pearson admitted that slurry spreading at the farm had caused thepollution.
Pearson agreed to an Enforcement Undertaking - an alternative penalty to formal court proceedings - and he paid a contribution to the National Trust of £2,000 as a resultas well as making a commitment to increase slurry storage.
Pearson still did notcomplete the slurry lagoon.The Agency charged with him with the original polluting offence for which he had offered an Enforcement Undertaking andinNovember 2024hewasorderedto paya £2,500 fine.
Pearson wasfinallygivenan Anti-Pollution WorksNoticesetting out what improvement works weredeemednecessary to reduce the risk of pollution,buthefailedtocomply withthe deadline of1stOctober 2024.The notice included a right of appeal, which was not exercised.
A visit tothefarm on 16thOctober 2024confirmed no new slurry store had been completed.
Chris Westcottof the Environment Agency, said:
Pearsonhas consistently failed to deliver on his promises to the Environment Agency that slurry storage would be increased. We firsthighlighted this issue in 2015.
We have been more than patientwiththefarmer,but thepromisedimprovementsnevermaterialised,and the offendingcontinued which left us with no alternativebut to pursue enforcementactions.
Guidance for farmers onappropriate storageis available on the Gov.uksite:Storing silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil - GOV.UK
Background
Mark Pearsonwas charged with the following offence:
* Failed to comply with a notice under Section 161A of the Water Resources Act 1991, dated 26 January 2024, to carry out anti-pollution works, namely the installation and commission of a new slurry storage system at Hanford Farm, Hanford, Blandford, Dorset, by 1 October 2024, Contrary to Section 161D of the Water Resources Act 1991.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
