The dangers posed by African swine fever to UK pig farming were highlighted in the Conservative Agriculture spokesman's last European Parliament speech.
Anthea McIntyre used her last speech before the UK leaves the EU in the parliament’s Agriculture Committee to raise concerns over the spread of the disease.
She highlighted how disastrous it would be to the British pig population if it spread to the UK.
The MEP for the West Midlands explained the huge concern of pig farmers on the edge of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, which is home to a large population of wild boar.
She said: “Britain was scarred forever by the devastating outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001 when over 6 million cows and sheep were killed.
“Farmers in my area are very aware of the potential dangers of an outbreak of ASF.”
She went on to describe the circumstances for a local farmer who breeds Middle White pigs.
“These pigs are a very rare breed. In fact, they are more rare than the giant panda. An outbreak of ASF could completely wipe out the Middle White breed.”
ASF can be brought in to a country through contaminated meat products, such as in a sandwich, and it is then spread by wild boar.
But Ms McIntyre believes that the authorities are not doing enough to control the wild boar population in the Forest of Dean.
“The importance of biosecurity is well recognised, but it is just not possible for every farmer to protect their farms from the encroachment of wild boar.
“The practicality of keeping wild boar out, as I know for myself, is just about impossible,” she said.
The Committee was told that ASF only affects wild boar and domestic pigs and that it kills one hundred percent of infected animals.
