21 Jul 2022

Foot and mouth found in pork floss in Australia

From Morning Report, 7:45 am on 21 July 2022

There are growing concerns over the potential for a foot and mouth disease outbreak that could cost the livestock industry billions of dollars.

Viral fragments of the disease have been detected on meat products in a supermarket, as well as on luggage and goods brought into Australia - and in meat products imported from China.

The fragments were found on imported dried "pork floss" - a type of shredded, fluffy, pork - and that product is now being recalled.

So far there's no sign of any live virus in New Zealand or Australia, and there are no implications for human health.

Australia's agriculture minister Murray Watt called for calm when he announced the findings yesterday.

New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries deputy director general, Stuart Anderson, told us earlier biosecurity measures are being reinforced at the border, and a new round of surveillance testing would also be conducted.

While there are no direct flights from Indonesia to New Zealand at the moment, travellers are legally required to disclose where they've been in the last 30 days.

New Zealand and Australia will both introduce foot mats with disinfecting chemicals - citric acid - for arrivals from Indonesia to step onto in a trial to help ensure their footwear is clean of the virus.

ABC rural reporter Kath Sullivan says some Australian farmers are calling for tougher measures.

Beef and Lamb spokesperson Chris Houston says while the government's strict response is encouraging the Indonesian outbreak is a reminder for farmers to be strict about record-keeping.