Europe Dampens NZ Farmer Confidence
NEW ZEALAND - Federated Farmers mid-season Farm Confidence Survey, conducted in January 2012, reveals farmer confidence in the general economy has turned negative for the first time since July 2009. Europe...

Sow Stall Ban Improves NZ Pig Farmers' Image
NEW ZEALAND - The sow stall controversy could be influencing shoppers to choose New Zealand products over imported meat, as pork consumption rises.

Tougher Rules on Feeding Pigs Waste Food Needed
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand Pork has told the Government it needs to strengthen the regulations that control the feeding of waste food to pigs.

NZ Pork Does Not Guarantee Good Welfare
NEW ZEALAND - Despite consumer pressure, many pig farmers are still using inhumane rearing methods with up to 45 per cent of sows confined in sow stalls and farrowing crates for much of their lives, says...

Consumers Urged to Buy NZ Pork These Holidays
NEW ZEALAND - Christmas ham shoppers received a stern reminder from NZPork today to be wary of poorly labelled imported ham.

Alliance Proposes Closure of Sockburn Plant
NEW ZEALAND - The Alliance Group has started a consultation process with its staff and unions on a proposal to close its Sockburn Plant in Christchurch at the end of the 2012 processing season.

New Code Released on Welfare for Animal Transport
NEW ZEALAND - Minimum standards of animal welfare and recommended best practices for everyone involved in transporting animals in New Zealand were outlined in a new code of welfare issued last week by...

Canterbury Bans Pigs and Cows Near Waterways
NEW ZEALAND - Pigs and cows are to be banned from entering all lakes, streams and rivers in Canterbury in a move to clean up waterways around the most intensive farms in the region.

New Tool for Foot and Mouth Preparedness
NEW ZEALAND - The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is launching a new tool to help staff at meat processing plants recognise and respond to an incursion of foot and mouth disease in stock, as part...

NZ Pork Producers Gather at Parliament
NEW ZEALAND - Pork farmers have gathered at Parliament to discuss the risk that Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) poses to their animals and their industry.

NZ Pig Farmers Protest Against MAF Changes
NEW ZEALAND - Pig farmers from around the North Island gathered outside Parliament with MPs today to protest proposals to lower imported pork standards that will expose New Zealand to a "devastating disease"...

NZ Pork Board Criticises Agricultural Officials
NEW ZEALAND - The high stakes involved in allowing imports of raw pork that might contain a potentially deadly pig disease could have meant agriculture officials took a more conservative approach, a judge...

New Zealand Pork Farmers Want Tougher Rules
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand pig farmers who say a deadly pig disease could arrive in the country in imports of raw meat are arguing for a very conservative scientific view to enforce protectionism, a judge...

NZ Pork Challenges MAF Import Standards
NEW ZEALAND - The pork industry is going back to the High Court in efforts to stop imports of uncooked pork.

New Zealand Pork Appoints New Chairman
NEW ZEALAND - Ian Carter has been elected as the new Board Chairman for New Zealand Pork.

Pork Import Battle Goes to Court
NEW ZEALAND - The country's pig producers are going to court later this month to try to prevent imports of pork which, they say, present a significant risk of bringing PRRS into the country which is still...

Growing Support for Raw Pork Import Ban
NEW ZEALAND - Politicians have joined the pork industry in opposing raw meat imports.

Imported Pork is 100 Per Cent Safe
NEW ZEALAND - Quality imported pork is vital to meeting the demand of the New Zealand processed meat market, which local growers cannot meet.

No Antimicrobial Resistance Fears in NZ
NEW ZEALAND - A new Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) survey has shown no human health implications from antimicrobial resistance in the country's food-producing animals and fresh produce. Antibiotic...

Pork Consumers Don't Want Biosecurity Relaxed
NEW ZEALAND - A survey commissed by the Pork Industry Board shows four out of five consumers believe biosecurity controls on imported pork should not be relaxed.

Kiwis Concerned About Controls on Imported Pork
NEW ZEALAND - Kiwi consumers say they are concerned with biosecurity controls on imported pork after MAF relaxed border restrictions this year.

MAF to Defend Health Standards for Pork Imports
NEW ZEALAND - The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) will be defending in court its decision to allow the importation of fresh uncooked pork from Canada, the EU, Mexico and the USA.

Pig Farmers Take Action Over Raw Pork Imports
NEW ZEALAND - Pig farmers are fighting an 11th-hour battle against new Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) import health standards.

Import One Pork Disease, Get the Second One Free?
NEW ZEALAND - Proposals by the Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries (MAF) to relax import health standards for raw pork from the United States, Canada, Mexico and the European Union (EU), is like playing...

Green Party Criticises Proposed Meat Import Rules
NEW ZEALAND - The Green Party has added its voice to the criticism of the government's decision to relax health check on imported pig meat.

Industry Concerned about Imported Disease
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand Pork is deeply concerned about new Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF) standards issued today (13 April 2011) that relax biosecurity around imported pork.

Devastating PMWS Continues to Spread
NEW ZEALAND - A devastating pig disease which broke out in the North Island in 2003 and crossed to the South Island in 2006 is still spreading, farmers say.

Pork Prices Expected to Rise with Crate Ban
NEW ZEALAND - A ban on sow crates will mean price rises and some farmers may be driven out of the industry, the Pork Industry Board says.

New Code of Welfare for NZ Pigs Released
NEW ZEALAND - The Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2010, released today by the Minister of Agriculture, encourages all those responsible for pigs to adopt the highest standards of husbandry, care...

Phasing Out of Gestation Stalls Gets Support
NEW ZEALAND - The New Zealand pork industry supports the phasing out of gestation stalls by December 2015, announced today by Agriculture Minister David Carter.