October 3, 2024

Measures to protect UK swine industry from ASF welcomed by NFU Scotland

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) Scotland has welcomed the introduction of new measures aimed at protecting swine farmers and the industry from the threat of African swine fever (ASF), Meat Management reported.

These new rules come after a sustained campaign by NFU Scotland and other stakeholders calling for improved border controls. Effective from September 27, 2024, the new regulations ban personal imports of pork and pork products from the European Economic Area (EEA), the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Switzerland, unless such products meet EU commercial standards, are properly packaged, and weigh less than 2kg.

NFU Scotland views this policy as a crucial first step toward further protective measures. The union hopes it will address the "under-resourced introduction" of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) for commercial meat imports.

The UK government's efforts in implementing post-Brexit border controls have been a point of contention for NFU Scotland. According to the union, repeated delays and false starts have left farmers and crofters vulnerable to destructive plant and animal diseases, including ASF. The highly contagious disease, which affects pigs and wild boar, is transmitted through infected meat, and continues to spread across Europe. If it were to reach the UK, the disease could devastate the pig industry, valued at GBP 8 billion (US$10.5 billion).

NFU Scotland's Pigs Committee Chair, Jamie Wyllie, stressed the importance of these new measures in protecting the industry. "These new measures are one step towards safeguarding the nation's pig farmers from a disease that could potentially wipe out the sector," he said.

Wyllie highlighted concerns about funding and resources for proper border controls and called on the UK Government to provide the necessary guidance and enforcement to ensure the effectiveness of the new measures. He pointed to the Scottish Government's provision of detector dogs at ports of entry as an example of successful intervention. The dogs have uncovered significant amounts of unsanctioned meat products entering Scotland, yet Wyllie cautioned that current checks across the UK only scratch the surface of illegal meat imports.

Since personal import limits were first imposed in 2022, border inspectors have intercepted over 100 tonnes of illegal meat. Despite this, Wyllie warned that commercial meat from ASF-restricted areas is still entering the UK without the required checks.

He concluded by emphasising the need for the proper and consistent implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary checks on commercial imports, stating, "This flaw must be addressed, and border checks on commercial meat must come into force as soon as possible."

-      Meat Management