Two men who illegally imported boar semen into Australia from Denmark showed "a disturbing disregard" for the law and risked introducing exotic diseases, federal agriculture minister Bridget McKenzie says.
Torben Soerensen, Henning Laue and GD Pork were sentenced in the District Court of Western Australia on Tuesday for the biosecurity breaches between May 2009 and March 2017.
The semen was used in the company's artificial breeding program and several sows on its property were direct offspring of Danish boars.
"GD Pork imported the semen illegally in an attempt to get an unfair advantage over its competitors, through new genetics," Senator McKenzie said.
"Boar semen can potentially contain a number of exotic diseases, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, which could devastate Australian breeding herds."
Soerensen was jailed for three years and must serve 18 months before he will be eligible for parole.
Laue was handed a two year prison term with a minimum of eight months to serve.
GD Pork was fined $500,000.
Australian Associated Press
