AUTHORITIES have ramped up warnings to hobby farmers, cafes, restaurants and those who keep pigs as pets that illegal feeding of food waste to pigs can attract a fine as high as $59,479.
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Swill feeding - the act of feeding food scraps to pigs that contains meat or which has been in contact with meat - is a key risk for a foot and mouth disease incursion in Australia.
When infected with FMD, pigs produce huge quantities of virus that very easily spread to other livestock species.
Swill feeding is banned in Australia, and many countries, as it has been shown to cause outbreaks of serious animal diseases.
Along with FMD, these include African swine fever, classical swine fever, Aujeszky's disease, swine vesicular disease and transmissible gastroenteritis, according to Agriculture Victoria.
These viruses are often not destroyed by chilling, freezing, cooking or curing meat.
They are very effectively spread through feeding to pigs infected or contaminated meat which may be imported from a country where the disease is present.
The devastating 2001 outbreaks of FMD in the United Kingdom, which led to six million animals being culled, was attributed to swill feeding. The disease was first detected in pigs sent to slaughter.
With fragments of FMD having been detected in Australia, albeit inactivated, animal science and biosecurity experts say the evidence is there that the disease is circulating.
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It is simply not acceptable to assume that meat or meat products in the food waste you have is safe, regardless of where you are in Australia, authorities say.
"Every year, large quantities of illegally imported animal products are seized by quarantine authorities. Some illegally imported animal products may pass undetected through this line of defence," Agriculture Victoria's website says.
Meat and any food that is served on the same plate or that has come into contact with meat is prohibited feed. Dairy products from overseas are also banned.
To be clear, that includes salad and vegetables that have been served with meat, butcher's shop waste, pies, pasties, deli foods, cheese from overseas and even used cooking oils and fats.
Individuals and businesses that contravene these laws could face fines of up to $19,826 and $59,479 respectively. These penalties apply to a person who supplies swill to another person, who knows it is being used for feeding pigs.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
