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New quarantine conditions for pig meat imports
DAFF04/10D
The Director of Animal and Plant Quarantine, Michael Taylor, has announced a new quarantine policy for imports of pig meat to Australia. Implementation of the new policy follows the completion of the import risk analysis (IRA) process. The final step was consideration of appeals by the Import Risk Analysis Appeals Panel (IRAAP). The IRAAP did not uphold any of the appeals.
Under the previous import policy, only Canada, Denmark and New Zealand were able to export pig meat to Australia. The new quarantine conditions for imports of pig meat, announced today, tighten the situation that has been in place for the past 13 years, but more countries will be able to export to Australia, provided they can meet the stringent requirements specified in the new policy.
The new import requirements will allow pig meat imports, but only under strict conditions — conditions that will maintain Australia’s conservative approach to quarantine.
Specific conditions will be established for countries wanting access to the Australian market, based on their animal health status, and the ability of their veterinary services and other authorities to inspect and certify their pig meat.
Australia’s new quarantine conditions involve a number of risk management measures, depending on the exporting country’s animal health status, including:
- country, zone or herd freedom;
- carcass testing;
- cooking, freezing, curing and canning; and
- removing certain tissues or parts of the carcass - the head, neck, bones and major lymph nodes.
For most major pig meat exporting countries, the bones and major lymph nodes will need to be removed before it is cooked or cured, either overseas or in Australia.
The import risk analysis covering pig meat has been rigorous and consultative, and scientific input from industry groups and other stakeholders was given full consideration.
Further information is available on Biosecurity Australia’s web site http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurityaustralia.
Media contact:
John Wilson
Biosecurity Australia
(02) 6272 3811