May 3, 2011 Issue 491
www.ruralnews.co.nz
town trained triallist price probe latest page 7
page 31
swiss-made slope master page 37
Pork import saga goes to court
page 32
vet’s bull buying tips
Milestone meat report this week Vivienne Haldane
NZP chief executive Sam McIvor told Rural News that papers were lodged with the High Court last week. The action seeks to force MAF to revert to the previous regulations on the import
permitted and the High Court action will not affect these imports, says McIvor. Before the latest changes to the regulations, pig meat coming from countries which have PRRS
to restaurants and other food outlets or institutions.” NZP’s belief is trimmings NEW ZEALAND Pork (NZP) is from this meat may find their taking MAF to the High Court way to small backyard pig farms in a last ditch bid to stop it relaxor commercial operations, which ing regulations on pig meat take food scraps from resimports. taurants and cafes. The operational arm of This meat could carry the Pork Industry Board’s the PRRS virus. latest move follows a fourMcIvor acknowledges year saga that re-ignited last MAF’s point that the vimonth with MAF’s confirrus does decline at room mation it would allow retail temperature, but points sale of untreated imports up out it takes only a tiny to 3kg. amount of viable virus to NZP’s concerns centre spread an infection. on the risk of raw pork carHe’s particularly conrying Porcine Reproductive cerned about what might and Respiratory Syndrome happen on lifestyle blocks (PRRS). However, it and where people keep pigs. others have also highlighted These people may not be the wider biosecurity imfully aware of the regulaplications the move has for Pig in the middle: the PRRS row has wider biosecurity implications says Feds. tions or sell their produce New Zealand’s livestock inthrough conventional of pig meat, which they say are had to either be cured or cooked channels. dustries as a whole. “The potential for not just better and protect the industry before sale. “In the end, it might be as sim“What MAF is proposing ple as that farmer driving down PRRS but other diseases to be from the risk of PRRS – found carried in raw pork is real,” says in Europe, Canada, the USA and now is that fresh and frozen cuts the road with pigs on the back of from PRRS countries can come a truck and passing a commercial Federated Farmers’ biosecurity Mexico. New Zealand is just one of a in. They don’t have to be cured or semi commercial pig farm and spokesman, John Hartnell. “Pigs are one of the greatest risk vec- handful of countries still PRRS- or cooked. They will now be al- the virus moving in the air to the tors for ruminant diseases and we free. Australia, Finland and Swe- lowed to put the meat into 3kg big pig farm. That’s how some of don’t want to import one disease den are the others. Pork meat ‘retail ready packages’ which the outbreaks around the world imports from these countries are will be distributed to retailers or have occurred.” and get a second one for free.” PETER BURKE
FARMERS AND other industry observers are
looking forward to seeing what’s in the Meat Sector Strategy report – due to be released in Parliament tomorrow (May 4) While meat company chiefs have already seen copies, its content is being eagerly anticipated by the wider industry. “We are looking for a roadmap to achieve sustainable profitability in our industry,” Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairman Bruce Wills told Rural News. “For too long we’ve gone through boom and bust phases. We now need stability for these current, better prices.” Wills is hopeful the report will work to strengthen the meat industry and pave the way for a positive future. “I get concerned when I hear some farmers say, ‘we don’t need to worry because it’s all come right.’ My response is, ‘like hell it has’. “It’s only come right, due largely to our past failures; prices this year are up considerably on the back of reduced supply. We’re selling six million lambs less than we did six years ago.” He believes the important thing about the Deloitte strategy is that, an independent, professional party has put it together and, as such farmers, will be much more ready to accept it. “The industry has in the past, unfortunately been characterised by a fair amount of vested interest. My hope is that farmers will engage to put their businesses on a far sounder and more progressive base to go forward, in concert with the rest of the meat industry.” To page 3