Government announces strict new controls to protect against ASF
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“An outbreak of African swine fever is one of the biggest threats our pig industry faces today" - Lord Richard Benyon, Defra security minister.
The UK government has today (21 August) announced strict new controls restricting the movement of pork and pork products into Great Britain to safeguard pigs from the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF).
It follows the publication of a new risk assessment, conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), which has increased the risk of ASF entering the UK to medium. The assessment found that the most likely way the virus could enter Britain is via a member of the public bringing pork or pork products back from an ASF-affected country.
The controls come into force on 1 September and will make it illegal to being pork or pork products weighing over two kilograms into the UK, unless they are produced to the European Union's (EU) commercial standards. The rules do not apply to commercial imports, which remain unaffected by the control.
Defra biosecurity minister, Lord Richard Benyon said: “An outbreak of African swine fever is one of the biggest threats our pig industry faces today. We are not complacent and this decisive and proportionate action will stop the entry of pork products that pose the greatest risk. It is essential we maintain the highest levels of biosecurity and all visitors to the UK will need to abide by these new regulations.”
UK’s deputy chief veterinary officer Richard Irvine added: “If African swine fever ever reached the UK, it would have a severe and damaging impact on our pigs and pig industry. A single outbreak of this highly infectious disease would also harm relations with our trading partners and threaten the livelihoods of thousands of our pig farmers.
“We are taking this action to limit the risk of disease spreading by banning people bringing in high-risk pork and pork products that could carry this virus until further notice. Everyone can do their bit to help stop animal diseases spreading to this country by simply not bringing pork and other meats onto our shores.”
ASF is a highly contagious disease of pigs that has been spreading across mainland Europe. While the disease poses no threat to human health, ASF has led to the deaths of thousands of pigs and caused significant losses to the meat trade. There is currently no vaccine for ASF.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
