NZPork is urging Kiwi consumers to look out for labels showing pig products are 100 per cent New Zealand born and raised, with the introduction of new food labelling regulations.
The Commerce Commission has issued guidance to support compliance with the long-awaited Country of Origin for Food regulations, which come into force on February 12.
Under the new regulations, fresh pork and cured pork for retail sale must be labelled with the country, or countries, where the animal was raised.
Cured pork includes bacon, ham and prosciutto, along with other preserved pork products containing at least 66 per cent of whole pieces of pork, such as pickled pork.
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Advertise with NZME.However, imported pork processed into other products in New Zealand, including marinated pork and sausages, are not covered by the regulations because they fall outside the cured pork definition.
They will only be required to be labelled with the name of the New Zealand manufacturer or retailer.
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NZPork chief executive David Baines said the organisation's research showed that Kiwis expected and preferred the meat they bought to have been grown in New Zealand.
"Although we ultimately want labelling where imported pork is being used to be far more prominent, we welcome the introduction of these new requirements.
"This will shine a light on this area and give consumers more clarity about the origin of pork in at least some of the further processed products."
The organisation would be encouraging those using born and raised New Zealand pork in their products to emphasise and promote the homegrown origin far more prominently than the regulations required "because that is what Kiwis want," Baines said.
He encouraged New Zealanders to look for the "100 per cent NZ" pork labelling or NZPork's PigCare label on packaging.
"This will help provide consumers with the confidence that they are 'buying local', knowing they are supporting Kiwi farmers and purchasing pork raised to high levels of animal welfare."
