Page 19 - APN July 2017

Pork imports hurting Aussie pig farmers
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AUSTRALIAN pork farmers have seen prices slide as imported pork products flood the mar- ket.
The Australian pork industry has been com- peting with imported pro- cessed pork such as bacon and ham for more than a decade, but now cuts such as bellies are being imported and sold cooked to cafes and restaurants.
In addition, ribs are also entering the country in a cooked format.
Australian Pork Limited CEO Andrew Spencer said the cheap, pre-cooked products were mostly des- tined for the hospitality industry.
“Our farmers have been competing with cheap
pork imports for years, but until now it had been mostly in the ham, bacon and smallgoods space,” Mr Spencer said.
“What we’re seeing now is a sudden influx of pre- cooked imported pork be- ing sold into restaurants, takeaway outlets and ho- tels.”
This includes ribs from North America and Eu- rope that have been cooked and packaged.
“We are seeing pro- cessed ribs that are able to just sit on a shelf for 12-24 months with no refrigera- tion,” Mr Spencer said.
“They’ve basically been sterilised in the pack and consumers have no idea.
“All fresh pork sold in Australia is from our
Australian pig farmers, but there is no labelling requirement on meat served in restaurants and across the hospitality in- dustry.
“That leaves consumers in the dark about the qual- ity and origin of the pork they are eating.”
As food service outlets opt for the cheaper ribs, Australian pork farmers are feeling the pinch.
“Pork’s popularity is growing in Australia, but these imports are a significant challenge for our farmers,” Mr Spencer said.
“This influx of cheap processed ribs has had a significant effect on the price of fresh Australian pork ribs, which in turn
affects overall pig prices. “We are forecasting this could equate to up to $80 million lost at the farm
gate in just a year. “Australian Pork Lim-
ited is working with re- tailers, processors and wholesalers to try to en-
sure the market can ac- commodate our pigs.
“We need consumers to get more pork on their forks and for diners to ask if the ribs and bellies on their restaurant or pub menu are fresh, quality Australian pork.”
New English
requirement
announcement
ON July 1, 2017, the Department of Im- migration and Border Protection changed the regulations re- quiring all 457 visa holders applying for permanent residence through the Tempo- rary Residence Tran- sition stream to prove they have competent English (a score of 6.0 in each band of the IELTS test).
However, the depart- ment decided to retain the current policy to allow current 457 visa holders applying for permanent residence through the Temporary Residence Transition stream to be able to claim English language exemption if they have completed at least five years of full-time study in a secondary and/or higher education insti- tution where the whole curriculum was taught in English.
This announcement comes as a great relief to both workers and producers.
We realise that those who are now scheduled to sit the IELTS test
may decide to forego this step, however, we strongly advise pig- gery workers who are currently enrolled in IELTS review classes to continue in case the rules change before their applications are lodged.
Age requirement
Another announce- ment, made on April 18, 2017, stated ap- plicants who are be- tween 45 and 49 can no longer lodge their application for perma- nent residence.
On July 1, the De- partment of Immi- gration and Border Protection indicated the age limit for the Temporary Residence Transition stream would not change until March 2018.
Applicants in this age bracket are urged to lodge their applica- tions without delay as changes could poten- tially come into effect sooner than indicated by the department. Estelle McNally Global Skilled Em- ployment Services director

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Australian Pork Newspaper, July 2017 – Page 19