The vice-chair of Federated Farmers dairy section, Willy Leferink, is defending his position as a dairy farmer representative, after confirming that two companies in which he's a partner are being prosecuted for breaching dairy shed effluent discharge conditions.
Canterbury's regional council is taking action against Brook Farms and Mosbro Farms Ltd relating to effluent being discharged through a travelling irrigator which may have contaminated groundwater.
Mr Leferink says because he holds environmental protection in very high regard, he considers himself fit to continue his role as a Federated Farmers dairy representative. He says he is deeply embarrassed at the prosecution and has taken action about the breach,
Willy Leferink says he fully supports the importance of prosecuting wilful polluters, because on the whole dairy farmers take their environmental responsibility very seriously.
