MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Starting next month, Wisconsin will require import permits for pigs that enter the Badger State.

Officials want to make sure those pigs free of a virus called “Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome.” It’s been known to cause reproductive failures in breeding animals, and respiratory illnesses in younger pigs.

It costs the industry an estimated $600 million a year.

When applying for permits, pork producers and veterinarians must disclose the disease status of pigs, and provide certificates of veterinary inspections.