Share

Why SA is wary of US pork

Denver - The US pork portions at the heart of a legal case in South Africa are also on sale to pork eaters in the United States.

On a visit to a major US supermarket chain in Denver, Fin24 found it stocked pork shoulder cuts, which the SA Pork Producers’ Organisation (Sappo) is seeking to prevent from reaching South Africa's shores.  

Sappo, which serves a group responsible for the slaughtering of 2.8 million pigs annually, lodged an application with the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in September seeking to prevent US pork shoulder cuts from entering the country, unless they comply with certain rules.

"We have been advised that the respondents will oppose our application. Their affidavits are awaited," Sappo CEO Simon Steicher told Fin24.

Read: US pork a potential threat to SA, warns producers

The respondents are the minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, the chief director of animal production and health, the minister of trade and industries, the minister of health, the president of the Republic of South Africa, the director of veterinary public health, and the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters.

According to court papers, Sappo is calling for the “reviewing and setting aside of the Side Letter on Pork Shoulder Importation from the United States of America to South Africa”.

This agreement was signed in January between the US Department of Agriculture and the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the chief director of Animal Production and Health.

pork

Pork shoulder cuts on sale at a major US supermarket chain in Denver (Pic: Adiel Ismail, Fin24)

Steicher alleged the side letter - as part of the Agoa trade treaty deal - allows the US to bypass the Veterinary Procedural Notice (VPN) route for pork shoulder cuts.

He said South Africa already received a test consignment of 500 kilograms of these cuts which followed the VPN processes.

"Unrestricted imports of these cuts pose a health risk for the national pig herd."

Steicher emphasised that Sappo supports importation from the US, on condition that VPN measures are followed.

"We are convinced that the VPN was promulgated to protect the health status of the SA pig population and that any concessions will jeopardise these measures," he said.

"All pork imported from countries that are not free from porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) should be subject to the procedures of the Veterinary Procedural Notice for the importation of uncooked pork and pork products," he said.

PRRS was first recognised in the USA in the mid 1980s and commonly affects macrophages, which are part of the body defences, in the lung. The virus multiplies inside the lung and once it has entered a herd, the PRRS virus tends to remain present and active in the herd indefinitely.

The US is not PRRS free, Streicher said, and imports from that country should therefore not be allowed to be a threat to the local pig population.

According to Steicher, the VPN requires uncooked pork and pork products from countries that are not free from PRRS to be imported under strict control of auditable records.

"Movements will be allowed only from state veterinary approved import cold storage facilities directly to state veterinary approved processing and packing facilities," he explained.

"Auditable records are required to demonstrate that all of the uncooked pork and uncooked pork products have been processed by suitable methods and all potentially remaining risk material has been disposed of in a safe manner," said Steicher.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative said it is keeping a close watch on the case brought by Sappo.

"We are aware of the litigation and watching developments," a spokesperson told Fin24. "The United States expects South Africa to honour the pork agreement."

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries dismissed Sappo's interpretation of the side letter relating to VPN, adding that it can't comment on the details of litigation until the matter has been concluded.

Pork shoulder cuts on sale at a major US supermarket chain in Denver (Pic: Adiel Ismail, Fin24)

* Fin24 attended a US farm-to-fork programme as a guest of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.

Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter:

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.00
-0.5%
Rand - Pound
24.00
-0.5%
Rand - Euro
20.53
-0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.36
-0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.5%
Platinum
903.65
+0.8%
Palladium
1,016.75
+1.5%
Gold
2,210.49
+0.7%
Silver
24.61
-0.1%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,275
+0.9%
All Share
74,459
+0.7%
Resource 10
57,075
+2.5%
Industrial 25
103,782
+0.5%
Financial 15
16,515
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders