June 13, 2013

The Supreme Court of New Zealand has ordered the Ministry for Primary Industries to stop granting biosecurity clearance to all raw pork cuts from Europe, Canada, the US and Mexico.

The ban will remain in place while the court hears an appeal from the New Zealand Pork Industry Board.

The board argues that raw pork imports from countries with a potentially lethal pig disease breach biosecurity laws. It wants to stop raw pork imports coming from countries with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). The disease, also known as blue-ear pig disease, causes still-born piglets and respiratory illnesses in young pigs.

The disease is estimated to cost the US swine industry more than US$760 million a year. Only New Zealand, Australia and Switzerland are reportedly free of the virus. But the ministry says it's confident it can effectively manage the risks of the disease becoming established in New Zealand.

Ministry director general Wayne McNee says it followed the correct process and it would continue to defend its position in the Supreme Court.

Imported pork accounts for about 45%, or about 800,000 kg/week, of the pig meat consumed in New Zealand. New Zealand first imposed restrictions on imports of uncooked pork in 2001 from PRRS-infected countries after research showed the virus could be transmitted to pigs by feeding them on infected meat.

During the following decade, the ministry then known as MAF developed draft health standards for pork imports. Last year new standards were introduced, allowing imports from Canada, the EU, Mexico and US.