Immediate measures have been introduced to protect pig farmers
and industry from an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.
ASF is a highly contagious and deadly disease in pigs and wild
boar that can be transmitted through infected meat, but poses no
risk to human health. The new safeguarding rules will help
protect UK livestock by mitigating its spread across the border
to the UK.
To safeguard the UK's pig and farming industries, personal
imports of pork and pork products from the EEA (European Economic
Area), the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland will be
banned from tomorrow (Friday 27th September), unless such
products are manufactured and packaged to EU commercial standards
and weigh less than a maximum of 2kg.
An outbreak of ASF could have a significant impact on the UK's £8
billion pig industry, as well as its annual pork and pork product
exports worth £600 million. It is estimated that an outbreak
could cost the UK between £10 million to £100 million.
Biosecurity Minister said:
African swine fever is a deadly disease wreaking havoc in
Europe.
These new measures will protect British pig farmers and pork
products, preventing infected meat from being brought over
the border and threatening our biosecurity.
The UK has never had an outbreak ASF, and commercial meat imports
are routinely checked at the border to ensure infected goods do
not reach UK shores.
Preventing an outbreak of ASF in the UK remains one of Defra's
key biosecurity priorities, and it keeps policy on personal meat
and dairy imports under constant review, as well as works closely
with devolved governments on contingency planning and preventing
an incursion from infected goods.
Those found to bring pork or pork products illegally may be fined
up to £5,000 in England. Products will be seized and destroyed on
arrival.
Defra is investing £3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority
for 2024/25 to help Border Force tackle illegal meat imports and
keep African Swine Fever out of Great Britain.
