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Disposal Of Dead Stock

This service benefits the entire community and should be utilised by stock owners if at all possible.

By Department of Primary Industries - 18th June 2003 - Back to News

A knackery service that offers prompt and cost effective or free removal of dead and suffering stock provides a district with an invaluable service. This service benefits the entire community and should be utilised by stock owners if at all possible. The service reduces animal welfare issues by providing farmers with a prompt and humane method of destruction for suffering stock. The service also aids the environment by eliminating the need to bury or burn carcasses on property.

Even with such a service, issues do arise about the continuing incorrect disposal of dead stock that find their way into watercourses or cause problems with off-site odour. These are issues that the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) investigates.

Carcasses that are decomposing or that have been euthanased with an overdose of anaesthetic are not suitable for the pet food industry. In such circumstances or in areas where a knackery service does not operate, farmers will need to dispose of carcasses on their own property. The EPA issues guidelines for how this disposal should be achieved to minimise environmental impact. The guidelines are contained in EPA Publication 660 – "What solid wastes can I dispose of on my farm?"

The site selected to bury carcasses should:

• be on elevated land but with a slope of less than 5 %
• not have the highest watertable within two metres of the base of the hole
• be at least 100 metres from any surface waters
• be at least 300 metres from neighbouring houses
• avoid highly permeable soils.

You should also:

• cover the carcasses with at least 1 metre of earth
• where necessary, excavate cut-off drains up-slope of the burial site to direct surface run-off away from the site
• slightly mound the site after backfilling.

Burning of dead stock is only permitted in situations where it is impractical to bury the carcass or where burning is mandatory where certain exotic diseases are present.

Further information is available from the EPA Regional office in Traralgon.

AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT COMPANY FINED

A Gippsland based aerial agricultural spraying company pleaded guilty to spray drift charges and deficiencies relating to incomplete records of spraying, in the Korumburra Magistrates Court recently.

The aircraft operator was spraying weeds on a farm under light and variable wind conditions and caused the chemical to drift onto the garden of a neighbouring farmhouse resulting in damage to garden plants.

Charges against the company and the pilot were brought by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and resulted in the company being fined $3500 plus half of the court costs and the pilot being placed on a good behaviour bond for 12 months and ordered to pay half court costs. The Magistrate indicated that he had taken the relatively small monetary value of the damage caused into consideration, prior to passing sentence.

This case clearly demonstrates that persons in the business of applying agricultural chemicals, whether by air or ground based equipment, must take all reasonable precautions to ensure that chemicals remain on the target and do not drift onto non target areas. Undertaking any agricultural spraying near sensitive areas under variable wind conditions is not acceptable practice and is contrary to the aerial spraying industry’s own manual for aerial operators.

Commercial chemical applicators are also reminded that they must make and keep for a period of two years, complete and accurate records of all chemical spraying operations they undertake.

Authorised officers within the Department investigate all alleged spray drift incidents, under the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) Act and its Regulations and where it can be proved that the spray drift has caused off-target damage or contamination to plants, livestock or agricultural land, prosecution may be instigated.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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