A ROSEBUD pest contractor was fined $4000 at Dromana Magistrates’ Court last week after pleading guilty to supplying 1080 bait to a farmer who was not authorised to use it.
The court was told restricted chemicals such as 1080 can only be supplied to authorised users, but that the contractor gave the bait to a truffle farmer at Main Ridge to poison feral pigs.
Agriculture Victoria chemical standards officers raided the property in mid-2016 and seized two pails of the pig bait which the farmer said was supplied by the contractor. He was fined $9500 after pleading guilty to using the products without a licence in December 2017.
Agriculture Victoria chemicals specialist Steven Field said suppliers of 1080 bait products had to be licensed and accredited, and could only supply products to authorised users.
“This applies not only to retailers and resellers but also baiting coordinators and even farmers themselves,” he said.
“1080 is an important tool to protect primary production and environmental assets. It is critical that continued access to these products is not jeopardised by the actions of rogue operators.”
Details: call 136 186 or visit agriculture.vic
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 23 October 2018
