Abingdon farming company convicted of endangering livestock
An Abingdon based farming company has pleaded guilty to five offences which could have endangered the livestock of other farmers.
David Gow and his farming company A.H. Cornish (Appleton) were found guilty at Oxford Magistrates Court, in a case brought by Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards.
On Tuesday 23 October, David Gow was fined £2,250 and ordered to pay £2,250 costs. A.H. Cornish (Appleton) Limited was fined £800 and ordered to pay £2,104.88 costs.
The trial followed a Trading Standards investigation of David Gow’s Abingdon farm, as a result of intelligence received from the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA).
The charges included one offence under the Animal By-Products Regulations 2013 and four offences under The Cattle Identification Regulations 2007.
David Gow was convicted of ‘Not properly disposing of fallen stock without undue delay’ (this puts the livestock of other farmers at risk) and ‘Failing to appropriately manage the important traceability aspects of livestock management’.
He had failed to correctly identify and keep accurate records of all livestock. These requirements were introduced as a result of national incidents such as foot and mouth disease and BSE ‘mad cow disease’.
Oxfordshire County Council investigating officer Richard Healy said: “Protecting Oxfordshire from animal disease outbreaks protects us all and allows for a thriving rural economy. This case should be noted by those who seek to sidestep the regulations and jeopardise the integrity of the chain from farm to fork.
“Businesses who do not follow the rules can gain an unfair commercial advantage over the vast majority of businesses that trade lawfully.”