Pork farmers gathered at Parliament last week to discuss the risk that Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) poses to their animals and their industry.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been defending in court its decision to allow the importation of uncooked pork from Canada, the European Union, Mexico and the United States.
The New Zealand Pork Industry Board is challenging Maf's decision to issue four updated Import Health Standards for pig meat, pig meat products and by-products, which permit importation of consumer-ready cuts of uncooked pork from countries where PRRS is present.
PRRS - a highly contagious disease - can cause stillborn fetuses, abortion or respiratory sickness.
MPs Damien O'Connor (Labour), Sue Kedgley (Green) and John Boscawen (Act) met the farmers to discuss the risk posed by PRRS.
Free-range pig farm co-owner Linda McCallum-Jackson, of Hunter, said PRRS was recognised as the world's most damaging pork disease.
"The bottom line is that PRRS kills pigs - up to 70% of infected piglets die pre-weaning, and another 12%-15% post-weaning. Survivors face a quality of life impacted by PRRS.
"In the United States, PRRS costs their pork industry $1 billion a year. That's a cost our farmers don't need. Maf believe they have all but eliminated the risk of the disease becoming established in New Zealand's pig herd, but they still lack much of the information needed to make this determination," Mrs McCallum-Jackson said.
Most pork farmers believed the risk of PRRS becoming established in New Zealand was much higher than Maf estimated, and would have a "devastating effect" on their animals and the industry.
"This is one of few countries in the world free from PRRS. Following biosecurity breaches in the potato and kiwifruit sectors, we don't need another blow to New Zealand's reputation for health and freedom from disease," she said.
