Prison and fines for fraudulent chicken farmers
Six poultry farmers were sentenced to prison and community service for committing fraud with their poultry rights. They kept more poultry and produced more manure than they had permits for. They must also pay the illegal profits they made back to the State, totaling in an amount of 860 thousand euros, NOS reports.
According to the judge, the farmers all violated the Fertilizers Act, which is intended to reduce the surplus manure and livestock containment in order to protect the environment. By doing so they created unfair competition.
Two farmers from Stramproy in Limburg received the harshest penalties. They each kept around 100 thousand chickens, while they were only allowed to have around 7 thousand. Both were sentenced to three months in prison and 120 hours of community service. They also have to pay 139 thousand euros and 185,200 euros to the State.
A farmer from Ysselsteyn kept over 330 thousand animals, while he only had a permit for around 200 thousand. He was given 120 hours of community service and has to pay 277,700 euros to the State and a fine of 50 thousand euros.
An Ell farmer was fined 10 thousand euros and sentenced to 80 hours of community service. He must repay 14,500 euros of illegally made profit to the State.
A farmer from Haghorst in Noord-Brabant was sentenced to 180 hours of community service, 60 of which conditionally suspended, and fined 40 thousand euros, half of which conditionally suspended. He also has to pay 180 thousand euros to the State.
And a poultry farmer from Lage Mierda has to pay 37 thousand euros of illegally made profit to the State, as well as a fine of 15 thousand euros, 10 thousand of which conditionally suspended.
