A Victorian poultry company has been fined over a biosecurity breach that led to Agriculture Victoria euthanasing almost 9,000 turkeys in 2020.
Pindarri Poultry and employee Glenn Canning appeared before Magistrate Peter Mellas in the Geelong Magistrates Court today.
They pleaded guilty to breaching the Livestock Disease Control Act.
The company was fined $3,500 and Mr Canning $1,000. The legislation allowed for a maximum fine of approximately $9,000.
The charges stem from a load of more than 700 turkeys trucked from within a restricted area at Lethbridge during Victoria's avian influenza outbreak in July 2020.
Costly clean-up
The turkeys were taken to Bairnsdale, and birds across both properties were later found to be infected with avian influenza.
Mr Mellas said the company had suffered a financial loss as a result of the outbreak. However, "significant" taxpayer funds had also been expended in clean-up efforts.
The court heard a total of almost 9,000 turkeys and 2,000 chickens were euthanised due to the outbreak. The birds were said to be worth $1.2 million.
It heard Agriculture Victoria spent $650,000 on the clean-up, not including the cost of staff labour.
"The conduct here and the consequences of what occurred have been significant," he said, explaining the company's fine.
"They've led to the euthanasing of animals, significant public expense and potentially what could have been significant disruption to the market.
"(It) led not to not only the fact the disease was not able to be contained to Lethbridge, but to the spread of it."
Messages did not get through
Mr Mellas described the company's actions as a "moderately serious" example of the offence.
The court heard Agriculture Victoria attempted to contact Pindarri Poultry to notify them of the control and restriction areas. However, Pindarri did not get the messages.
"I would like to think … employees have now either been trained or instructed so as to ensure messages from the ag department get through," Mr Mellas said.
Mr Canning was fined because although "his lack of knowledge that the prohibition had been issued may have been honest, it was not reasonable in the circumstances".
Costs totalling $211 were awarded to the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.
