Aussie hams should be supported this Christmas
21st December, 2007
At a time when a local processor has wrapped imported ham around an Australian bone in an attempt to pass it off as Australian, the embattled local pig industry deserves support, the Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss, said today.
Mr Truss said he was disappointed that the Productivity Commission found that temporary safeguard measures for the industry were not warranted at this stage, although it left open the possibility of assistance in the future.
“The pork industry is under enormous stress, and I believe its leaders when they tell me that it is more than just higher feed prices threatening their livelihoods,” Mr Truss said.
“The Commission did find that there has been a sudden increase in pork imports, but felt this was not the main reason why the industry was hurting. Given the number of people leaving the industry, the fall in production and financial hardship faced by so many producers as they lose up to $40 per pig, I find it surprising that the Productivity Commission did not recommend a short term measure such a temporary tariff on imports.”
Until a recent incident involving KR Castlemaine, Australian consumers have always been able to rely on ham on the bone as being Australian. Under quarantine restrictions, pig bone cannot be imported into Australia.
However, KR Castlemaine has admitted selling pre-sliced ham on the bone which contained Canadian pig meat wrapped around bone from an Australian pig. Under pressure from Woolworths, it has since withdrawn the product from sale and is assuring customers that all leg ham product on the bone is fully Australian.
“All imports must meet our strict quarantine rules. But when an entire industry is under threat of being wiped out, I believe temporary safeguard measures are appropriate to allow time for a structural adjustment program to be implemented.
“Such safeguard measures are consistent with Australia’s World Trade Organization obligations and have been used by our competitors, such as the United States, in the past.
“This Christmas, support the Australian pork industry a chance and purchase an Aussie ham,” Mr Truss said.
