To protect the pig industry from African Swine Fever, the United Kingdom has imposed new restrictions on travelers bringing pork products into the country.
The move comes as the extremely contagious disease spreads across mainland Europe, killing or culling thousands of pigs and wild boar.
Although the virus provides no concern to humans, the government has cautioned that it poses a “serious hazard to our domestic pig herd.”
Now, visitors can only carry up to 2 kg of pork.
Anything over this amount will be confiscated unless it can be demonstrated that it was produced by EU commercial standards.
The National Pig Association praised the additional border measures implemented on Thursday.
Rebecca Veale, the senior policy adviser for the organization, stated that an epidemic of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the United Kingdom could “possibly decimate enterprises across the country.”
She went on: “We are ecstatic that the government has recognized the threat that African Swine Fever poses to our national pig herd and, in response to our request for action, is now dramatically enhancing the security of our borders.
The latest outbreaks linked to human migration in Italy and Germany serve as a sharp reminder of just how susceptible we are.
‘Severe and destructive’
Since its emergence in East Africa in the early 1900s, African Swine Fever has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, being reported in 32 countries since 2005.
In 2022, the disease was discovered in northwestern Italy and Rome, as well as further west in Germany, near France, and the Netherlands.
Large geographical leaps in the disease, according to scientists, are likely attributable to human activity.
Businesses criticized the government last month for delaying more checks on EU imports, alleging that the UK borders were left susceptible to dangerous goods.
The British Meat Processors Association’s Nick Allen stated: “The alarming increase in the number of tiny van loads of meat entering the United Kingdom from African Swine Fever-affected regions without border inspections raised our concern. Therefore, we are relieved that these new steps will be implemented immediately.”
The Animal and Plant Health Agency has likewise deemed the danger of introducing the ASF virus into Great Britain to be moderate.
The most likely route for the virus to be introduced, according to the agency’s research, would be for a member of the public to bring pork or pig products back from an ASF-affected country. Currently, there is no vaccination available.
Richard Irvine, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer of the United Kingdom, said: “If African swine flu were to ever reach the United Kingdom, it would have a devastating effect on our pigs and pig business.
A single breakout of this extremely contagious disease would also undermine relations with our trading partners and endanger the lives of thousands of pig farmers.
Lord Richard Benyon, minister for biosecurity, described the measures as “decisive and proportional.”
