NZ: Conviction for untreated pig food
A pig-feed contractor in New Zealand has been fined for undercooking the food destined for his customers’ pigs. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has stated that it is pleased with the conviction, the first under the Biosecurity (Meat and Food Waste for Pigs) Regulations 2005.
The Biosecurity (Meat and Food Waste for Pigs) Regulations 2005 ban the collection, distribution and trading of waste food for feeding to pigs if the waste food contains untreated meat or may have come in contact with untreated meat.
African swine fever
The regulations were introduced to prevent and control the spread of animal diseases exotic to New Zealand. “Feeding meat and food waste to pigs is a risk to our livestock industries. Foot and Mouth disease and African swine fever are diseases pigs could get if they consume infected meat,” said MAF Investigator Simon Anderson.
The regulations require meat and food waste that has come into contact with meat to be ‘treated’ before it is fed to pigs. In practice this means such waste must be boiled at 100 degrees Celsius for one hour, stirring frequently, to destroy any disease causing bacteria and virus that may be present.
MAF carries out unannounced inspections on a nationwide basis. Anyone found feeding non-compliant food waste to pigs may be fined a maximum of $5,000 (€2175); companies may be fined up to $15,000 (€6500).
Related website
•MAF New Zealand
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