Vesilahti Dairy Farm Ordered to Clean Bird Droppings

YLE reports that Vesilahti dairy farm owner Harri Penttilä has been ordered by the municipal veterinarian to purge bird droppings from the production facilities and to restrict milk deliveries to the dairy for pasteurized products, according to YLE.

The veterinary decision requires the entire milking room, storage areas, and milking station to be cleaned and kept hygienic, with a deadline of March 17. The milk-delivery ban remains in place until the authorities lift it. The order follows inspections conducted in October, January and February, with the February visit finding that some issues were only partly corrected and new ones had emerged. Penttilä says he has already washed all surfaces with a pressure washer, and explains that birds enter the facilities because large doors are left open. The inspector noted that avian influenza risk has increased, underscoring why the controls are deemed necessary to bring the operation into compliance.

Penttilä, who chairs Vesilahti's municipal council for the Centre Party, is also noted as a former actor with ties to Tampere and Kouvola theatres. He says he welcomes the inspectors’ work and emphasizes the importance of monitoring Finnish food cleanliness. The farm hosts visitors, including school groups, and Penttilä stresses a wish to be open about how a Finnish farm operates. He hopes the case does not affect voters’ or residents’ views of his ability to handle public duties and governance.