A pest contractor from Rosebud has been fined $4000 at the Dromana Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to providing 1080 bait products to a person not authorised to possess them.
The contractor had illegally supplied 1080 bait products to a truffle farmer at Main Ridge who then illegally used the baits to control feral pigs which he believed were damaging his property.
Restricted chemical products such as 1080 must only be supplied to or used by an authorised person such as a person who holds an Agricultural Chemical Users Permit with a 1080 and PAPP endorsement.
Agriculture Victoria Chemical Standards Officers initially received information in mid-2016 that 1080 baits were being used by an unlicensed person.
As part of the investigation, Agriculture Victoria executed a search warrant at the Main Ridge property and seized two pails of the bait.
The farmer was fined $9500 after pleading guilty to using the products without a licence in December 2017.
Agriculture Victoria statewide chemicals specialist Steven Field said suppliers of 1080 bait products must be appropriately licensed and accredited and have a responsibility to only supply products to authorised people.
“This applies not only to retailers and resellers but also baiting coordinators and even farmers themselves,” Mr Field 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.”
He said some of the biggest risks were when people failed to correctly notify their neighbours or place the appropriate signage, which are legal requirements when using 1080 bait products.
