UK meat industry leaders have raised urgent concerns over new bluetongue (BTV-3) restrictions, warning they could severely disrupt livestock markets and the wider supply chain.
From 1 July, an all-England bluetongue restricted zone (RZ) will be introduced, replacing the previous patchwork of localised zones.
As a result, the Welsh government will require livestock entering Wales from England to be either vaccinated against bluetongue or have a negative pre-movement test.
Representatives from the country’s four main red meat industry bodies have called for a rethink, insisting that Great Britain should instead be treated as a “single epidemiological zone.”
Charles Milne, spokesperson for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), stated: “With just one week to go it is our firmly held opinion that GB must be considered a single epidemiological zone.
“Whilst it is accepted that notifiable disease outbreaks should be controlled to promote both animal health and welfare, it is also vitally important to minimise the economic impacts of the disease on the whole of the livestock production and processing industry. Neither will be achieved by the new restrictions.”
The four bodies have sent an industry letter to Britain's three chief veterinary officers highlighting the lack of a published Impact Assessment underpinning the decision.
Mr Milne said there was a need for more transparency: “It is usual to inform controls of this nature through the production of an Impact Assessment," he added.
“The industry would be grateful for sight of the documents produced in England, Scotland and Wales in order to best understand the economic drivers for this decision.”
Beyond the chief veterinary officers, the industry letter has also been shared with the CEOs of the relevant levy boards and ministerial teams across all three nations.
The red meat organisations warn that defining zones along national borders will cause significant disruption to livestock markets reliant on cross-border trade.
The letter explains: “For example, if a seller takes stock from a vaccinated flock, they are restricted to selling only to buyers within the market’s country and cannot sell to buyers from the country of origin, nor return animals to the flock if a buyer cannot be found locally, without incurring significant costs."
Describing the forthcoming measures as “not fit for purpose,” they argue the restrictions neither provide an effective disease control strategy nor mitigate economic damage to the livestock and meat industries. Instead, the groups advocate a unified approach.
Mr Milne said: “With the availability of a perfectly adequate vaccine, AIMS is of the view that the best way forward for all sectors of the livestock industry would be the immediate declaration of all parts of Great Britain as a Restricted Zone."
BTV-3, which has caused widespread disruption to livestock sectors across mainland Europe, was mostly confined to the east of England in 2024, with only mild symptoms reported in many cases.
However, with confirmation that the virus has overwintered in parts of the country and is now present in western England, the risks are now significantly higher.
