November 13, 2007

New Zealand issues health standards for pork and pork products

New Zealand's Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery- Biosecurity (MAF-BNZ) has issued for public consultation, four drafts of Import Heath Standards (IHSs) developed for pork and pork products which were based on an import risk analysis on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus in pork.

The draft IHSs are proposed to replace existing IHSs for pork and pork products for human consumption from Canada and the United States of America, Mexico and the European Union.

In accordance to the provisional measures of the present IHSs, MAF BNZ is obliged to commence a full risk analysis to examine the risk of introducing PRRS in imported pork. The risk analysis tended for five years was released for public consultation in July 2006. Forty four submissions were received, and a Review of Submissions was released in June this year.

This process involved assessing all the available scientific literature on PRRS. The risk analysis was peer-reviewed by seven international experts on PRRS and another round of review was carried out on key points of the review of submissions.

A number of stakeholders contest the conclusions of the risk analysis, arguing that the proposed measures are insufficient to manage PRRS. By contrast, the European Union, United States and Canada view the current measures as unjustified for what is, in their opinion, negligible risk.

Tim Knox, MAF's Director for Border Standards said New Zealand's import measures should be ''technically justifiable, based on the best available science, and be consistent with our international obligations'', thus,''the recommendations are based on robust and reasonable science evidence and judgement'' .  

Having considered all available information and a wide range of expert opinion, the MAF considers the PRRS risk associated with ready-to-cook pork imports to be negligible if the measures proposed in the IHSs are applied, says Knox.

He continues: ''We are now at the stage where we are keen to hear the views of stakeholders. We recognise there are strongly held opposing views on the PRRS risks associated with the proposed IHSs and in recognition of this have extended the consultation period to 90 days. A full and thorough assessment of all submissions will be made at the completion of the consultation period. No decision to issue new IHSs will be made before then.''

The public has until February 18 2008 to make submission on the four proposed IHSs. The draft IHSs recommend the following sanitary measures:

• Pork must be either from a country free from PRRS; or treated prior to import or on arrival, in an officially approved facility, by approved cooking or pH change; or 
    
• Pork must be in the form of ready-to-cook cuts; or further processed on arrival, in an officially approved facility, into ready-to-cook cuts.