Defra pledges crackdown as illegal meat seizures surge at Dover

Defra has pledged a new crackdown on illegal meat imports after fresh seizures highlighted the growing scale of the problem.

More than 14 tonnes of illegal meat were seized at Dover in a single week in March, while over 422 tonnes have been confiscated at the port since September 2022, with volumes rising sharply in recent months.

The department said it will now develop an “action plan” to tackle the issue, amid mounting pressure to strengthen border controls and reduce the risk of disease entering the UK’s livestock sector. Illegal imports raise concerns over animal disease threats, including potential risks to domestic herds.

In its response to an EFRA Committee report, Defra confirmed it will launch an Illegal Imports Improvement project, bringing together agencies including the Food Standards Agency, Border Force and the Home Office.

Officials said the plan would target areas of greatest impact. “This will consider demand, alongside other areas, and prioritise resource where evidence suggests the greatest impact will be delivered,” the department said.

Pressure has mounted on ministers to tighten import controls, with MPs warning that illicit meat poses a growing biosecurity threat.

In its report, the EFRA Committee said any future sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU must still allow Great Britain to apply “robust, evidence-based measures” to prevent disease entering the country.

It also urged Defra not to delay efforts to reduce demand for illegally imported animal products, calling for work to begin by June 2026.

The government agreed to review how its Border Target Operating Model was rolled out, including gathering feedback from port health authorities and traders, and said it would improve how it measures public awareness of import rules.

EFRA Committee chair Alistair Carmichael said it was encouraging to see progress but warned the problem is escalating. “This is a rapidly growing problem with potentially devastating consequences,” he said.

Separately, MPs also raised concerns over how any future SPS agreement with the EU will be implemented.

The committee had called for a transition period of at least 24 months to allow farmers and businesses to adjust to regulatory changes linked to closer alignment with EU rules.

However, the government rejected the proposal, maintaining that the agreement is expected to take effect from mid-2027 and that it will continue to work with businesses to ensure a “smooth transition”.

Mr Carmichael said the decision was disappointing, warning that the sector is already under pressure. “It is disappointing… that Ministers have disagreed with our call to give businesses a transition period,” he said.

“With headwinds already howling in their direction, the sector needs all the help it can get.”

On animal welfare, Defra said it supports efforts to secure flexibility in future EU alignment rules to avoid UK producers being undercut by imports from countries with lower standards.

The government also rejected a recommendation to pursue a veterinary medicines agreement alongside SPS talks, saying supply concerns are being addressed through new domestic schemes.

Meanwhile, it signalled that future rules on precision breeding remain open to negotiation, while maintaining that the UK should retain control over its own regulatory approach.

The row highlights growing tension between strengthening biosecurity and giving farmers time to adapt to post-Brexit trade changes.