Richard Yntema has farmed fallow deer since 1991.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

A North Okanagan farmer, who has been prosecuted and fined multiple times for illegal farming practices at an Enderby farm and slaughterhouse, appeared in Salmon Arm court yesterday, May 28, with the intent of pleading guilty to several charges recently laid against him.

However, Enderby farmer Richard Yntema needed more clarification on the details of what appeared to be a plea deal between him and federal prosecutors before he was prepared to admit his guilt.

Yntema, who is no stranger to the courtroom, is facing eight charges for feeding his wild boar slaughterhouse waste, along with obstructing government inspectors and lying to them.

He'd planned to plead guilty to three of the charges, two involving feeding his boar waste from his abattoir and one charge of hindering an inspector. The incidents are said to have taken place in 2022 and 2023.

During the court proceedings, Yntema seemed confused about the seriousness of the issue, leaving the federal prosecutor to confirm to Yntema that they were criminal charges.

The court appearance was adjourned. He'll likely plead guilty to some of the charges at his next court appearance for which a date has yet to be set.

Yntema's dealing with regulators dates back to at least 2010 and his name made headlines in 2016 when officials shot around 30 fallow deer at his Rivers Bend Fallow Deer Farm. Conservation officers say they'd tried to catch the animals but failed so they were shot.

At the time, Yntema's licence to farm the non-native deer had expired and complaints had been made about the deer escaping the property. Officials were worried the fallow deer would establish a wild population.

Yntema said he'd fight the charges but instead pleaded guilty and paid a $1,000 fine.

In May 2022, he was fined $7,500 after he pleaded guilty to a single charge of obstructing and hindering a Canadian Food Inspection Agency inspector. Five other charges for obstruction and failing to provide documents were stayed by the Crown.

In 2021, he had a minor victory successfully appealing a $6,300 fine for failing to produce records to regulators.

However, in accessing the appeal, Yntema was found to have contravened poultry slaughtering regulations and fined $3,525.

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