A valve adapted to satisfy low fugitive emission leakage standards, the valve comprising: a valve body; a valve stem reciprocally movable relative to the valve body; and a packing system at least partially disposed within the valve body and including: an upper packing disposed in fluid tight engagement to the valve stem and the valve body; a lower packing disposed in fluid tight engagement to the valve stem and the valve body, the upper packing being separated from the lower packing by a gap which is further bounded by portions of the valve housing and the valve stem; a fluid barrier filled into the gap, the upper and lower packings (6, 13) and the fluid barrier collectively defining a seal of the packing system; and a live-loading sub-assembly cooperatively engaged to the seal and operative to apply a load thereto in a manner which maintains the fluid barrier thereof at a prescribed fluid pressure level; characterized in that the valve further comprises an annular load sensor having a body which is abutted against the upper packing; wherein the live-loading sub-assembly of the packing system comprises: a loading piston which is cooperatively engaged to the lower packing; a retainer which is disposed in spaced relation to the loading piston; and at least one biasing spring extending between the loading piston and the retainer, and operative to normally bias the loading piston toward the seal. a valve body; a valve stem reciprocally movable relative to the valve body; and a packing system at least partially disposed within the valve body and including: an upper packing disposed in fluid tight engagement to the valve stem and the valve body; a lower packing disposed in fluid tight engagement to the valve stem and the valve body, the upper packing being separated from the lower packing by a gap which is further bounded by portions of the valve housing and the valve stem; a fluid barrier filled into the gap, the upper and lower packings (6, 13) and the fluid barrier collectively defining a seal of the packing system; and a live-loading sub-assembly cooperatively engaged to the seal and operative to apply a load thereto in a manner which maintains the fluid barrier thereof at a prescribed fluid pressure level; an upper packing disposed in fluid tight engagement to the valve stem and the valve body; a lower packing disposed in fluid tight engagement to the valve stem and the valve body, the upper packing being separated from the lower packing by a gap which is further bounded by portions of the valve housing and the valve stem; a fluid barrier filled into the gap, the upper and lower packings (6, 13) and the fluid barrier collectively defining a seal of the packing system; and a live-loading sub-assembly cooperatively engaged to the seal and operative to apply a load thereto in a manner which maintains the fluid barrier thereof at a prescribed fluid pressure level; characterized in that the valve further comprises an annular load sensor having a body which is abutted against the upper packing; wherein the live-loading sub-assembly of the packing system comprises: a loading piston which is cooperatively engaged to the lower packing; a retainer which is disposed in spaced relation to the loading piston; and at least one biasing spring extending between the loading piston and the retainer, and operative to normally bias the loading piston toward the seal. a loading piston which is cooperatively engaged to the lower packing; a retainer which is disposed in spaced relation to the loading piston; and at least one biasing spring extending between the loading piston and the retainer, and operative to normally bias the loading piston toward the seal.