A hired hand feeds a sow which recently gave birth to a new litter at the Grand Canal Pig Farm in Jiaxing, in China's Zhejiang province.

A member of the Rockefeller family is trying to bring four pigs from China to the U.S., The New York Times reported on Thursday.

Abby Rockefeller, a great-granddaughter of America's first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller Sr., paid $1,400 in October for the pigs that are now at a farm in suburban Beijing, the newspaper reported.

Rockefeller — who owns a farm in Hudson, New York — hopes to use them as breeding stock to restore a variety of swine, according to the report.

"I would very much like to get these remarkable, unusual pigs that are now rare," Rockefeller told The Times. "These pigs matter to me, and they would be a symbol if I can get them to the United States."

The farm where she bought the pigs from was told by the Chinese government to close as the country shuts down small farms in favor of large commercial facilities, the New York Times added.

Called the People's Pig of the Northeast, the purebred pigs originated from Heilongjiang province in China. They are known for their virility, fatty meat and strong endurance to cold weather.

There are only about 2,000 of purebred pigs left in China, as Western hog breeds have overtaken the local agriculture scene, said the newspaper.

Rockefeller will now have to negotiate with the provincial government in order to export the pigs as they are on the country's list of protected animals.

Read about the People's Pigs in The New York Times.

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