"One of the blackest days in New Zealand's agricultural history" is how one pig farmer describes a High Court judgement which does not support New Zealand Pork's challenge of new import health standards.
The pork industry challenged the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's (now Ministry for Primary Industries) process for deciding new standards, which would permit imports of untreated pig meat from countries with the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus.
PRRS is a highly contagious disease that can cause stillborn fetuses, abortion or respiratory sickness.
North Otago pig farmer Gus Morton said yesterday the implications of the decision went far beyond the pork industry.
In a statement, NZPork said it would "carefully consider" this week's High Court judgement.
The industry was concerned PRRS would enter New Zealand under the less restrictive standards, greatly increasing the risk of infected meat being fed to pigs.
NZPork chairman Ian Carter said "massive gaps" in scientific knowledge about PRRS transmission remained, despite the court accepting the ministry's decision-making process.
"MAF's independent review panel recognised that there are many gaps in scientific knowledge around this issue, including in understanding the exposure pathways of risk material.
"This means we have no basis to believe that the dangers from importing PRRS-infected meat can be managed."
Infected meat fed to pigs was blamed for a 2004 PRRS outbreak in South Africa which resulted in thousands of animals having to be euthanised, Mr Carter said.
Last year, NZPork told Parliament the introduction of PRRS would devastate the New Zealand pork industry as seriously as Psa, varroa and the tomato/potato psyllid have undermined other parts of the primary sector.
