SUMAS, Wash. – A Whatcom County farm has been fined for illegally irrigating about 40 acres of blueberry crops.

The Washington State Department of Ecology says that, despite previous warnings, RAN General Partnership installed irrigation equipment on three parcels of land straddling Lynden and Sumas.

None of the land they used to plant and irrigate their blueberries had water rights.

Ecology says they sent RAN a Cease and Desist order before the farm planted 40 acres of crops last fall and irrigated them over the past two months.

The department fined RAN $12,000 earlier this week for illegal irrigation.

They say RAN’s actions gave them an unfair advantage over other farmers who work hard to obey state laws.

Water management has become increasingly important in light of the recent drought emergency declared by Ecology in Whatcom County.