18 September 2018
Who does this notice affect?
This notice is of interest to importers, associated industry participants and retailers of pig related goods. This includes pig meat for human consumption, laboratory goods containing pig material (e.g. animal fluids and tissues, culture media), plant-based stock feeds, and pet food sourced from Belgium.
What has changed?
On 14 September 2018, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources received notification from the European Commission of an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the wild boar population of Belgium.
ASF is not present in Australia. An incursion of ASF in Australia would have significant impacts on pig health and production. In addition, our access to economically important international markets would be compromised. Eradication of ASF would be very difficult and costly. ASF spreads easily by direct contact between pigs or indirectly by contaminated items. It can also be spread through meat from infected animals, and vectors (e.g. ticks). For more information, please refer to Keeping African swine fever out of Australia.
As a result of the outbreak of ASF, pig meat and goods containing or potentially contaminated with pig material sourced from Belgium, will no longer meet current import requirements and are considered to pose a high biosecurity risk. These goods will no longer be permitted to be imported into Australia. These goods include:
- Uncooked pig meat for human consumption
- laboratory goods containing pig material (e.g. animal fluids and tissues, culture media)
- plant-based stock feeds
- pet food.
The department is putting in place new measures to reduce the risk of introducing ASF into Australia. These changes will affect all pig meat and goods containing or potentially contaminated with pig material from Belgium which were exported on or after the 24 July 2018. Products with existing import conditions that adequately manage ASF risk are not affected.
Affected goods with a documented final/master Bill of Lading date at the port of origin of 24 July 2018 or later are not permitted to be imported into Australia. If these goods are imported to Australia, they will be required to be exported or destroyed at the importers expense.
Importers who have affected goods with a Bill of Lading date on or after 24 July 2018 that have cleared biosecurity control, will be contacted by the department.
Import permit holders affected by the outbreak will be contacted by the department.
Contact information
If you require further information, please call 1800 900 090 or email Imports.
Import conditions are available on the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions database (BICON).