Bird farm that used banned pesticide fined £40,000

RSPB investigators found banned pesticide carbofuran on the farm

A game farm and its director have been fined after the discovery of a buzzard poisoned by a banned pesticide.

Ashley Game Farm in Chulmeigh, Devon, admitted five charges including using banned pesticide carbofuran and was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £590 in costs at Exeter Magistrates Court.

Director Christopher Hodgson pleaded guilty to storing a pesticide without permission and was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £150 in costs.

The discovery of the dead bird of prey, which had been eating a baited pheasant carcass, sparked the investigation in 2020, the court heard.

A dead buzzard led to an investigation

The buzzard, a protected species, was found on top of the pheasant carcass near a release pen, near Hollocombe in Devon, the court was told.

The buzzard and pheasant tested positive for carbofuran.

During a search of the farm traces of the highly toxic pesticide were found, the court heard.

The firm, which supplies young pheasants to shooting estates across the UK and Europe, admitted storing pesticide without a valid authorisation or permission, using banned pesticide carbofuran, two charges of using a biocide without authorisation and one of possessing an unauthorised veterinary product between between 2020 and 2021.

'Extremely hazardous'

Mark Thomas, RSPB head of investigations, said after the case: "Past cases have demonstrated these chemicals are extremely hazardous to our wildlife and environment, but also pose a considerable risk to members of the public and domestic animals.

"In this case, we welcome the significant fines despite not knowing who exactly killed the protected bird of prey."

Howard Jones, RSPB senior investigations officer, said: "The fact that carbofuran is still being found 20 years after it was banned shows the lack of reform, as the law stipulates, being shown by some within the game bird industry."

PC Jenny Mashford, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said it was a "very positive outcome in our fight against wildlife crime".