Pig sector calls for government to take African swine fever risk seriously
The pig sector has urged the government to improve the UK's steps in preventing and preparing for African swine fever as it continues to spread in Europe.
ASF continues to spread in Europe with the last few months seeing the arrival of the virus for the first time in Sweden.
Cases in domestic pigs were seen recently for the first time in northern Italy, while various countries in the Balkans have been battling major outbreaks.
In response, the National Pig Association (NPA) has called for a number of steps from government to prepare for an outbreak of ASF.
The pig sector's concerns had been 'exacerbated' by the constant delays in implementing proper border checks on EU meat imports, the body said.
The latest delay has put the introduction of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) back from this month until well into next year.
In a response to a letter from the NPA, Farming Minister Mark Spencer gave no intention of introducing new checks in the meantime.
The NPA said it was also concerned at a lack of preparedness in the event that ASF reaches the UK pig herd, for example, on APHA's response plans and the implications for UK pork exports.
NPA chairman Rob Mutimer said: "The government’s own assessment of the threat of ASF, and its potentially devastating impact on British pig farming, could not be clearer.
“We do understand the need to protect supply chains and shelter people from further inflationary pressures.
"However, a better balance needs to be struck that prioritises Britain’s biosecurity and protects our own food producers and our self-sufficiency.
"We need to use all available resources to reduce the threat of ASF reaching in the UK before SPS controls are put in place in April next year."
The lethal pig disease is currently spreading in domestic animals across Germany, and has also been found in Belgium, Romania, and Poland.
Asian countries – including major pig producing countries such as China and Vietnam – have been hit particularly hard by it, and cases have also been reported in Sub Saharan Africa.
The disease has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of pigs and wild boar in Europe, and millions in Asia.
NFU Scotland’s pigs committee chair, Jamie Wyllie, added that the growing threat of ASF in mainland Europe continued to loom over all pig producers in the UK.
"The impact and severity on our pig herd, were ASF to reach these shores, cannot be underestimated," he warned.
“At farm level, biosecurity remains our first line of defence and producers need to consider who and what they allow on their farm.
"For the public, we urge them to comply with the requirement that no pork products should be brought into the UK for personal consumption.
“And for the UK government, it needs to understand the potential consequences of its lax approach to introducing proper post-Brexit border controls."
What has the sector called for?
In a briefing to MPs, the NPA has spelled out the pig sector's needs:
• No further delays on checks for goods entering the UK from the EU
• Improved and increased border controls for meat imports, for example, sniffer dogs at ports and airports
• A review of APHA resource and available expertise to ensure it has the capability to respond quickly and effectively to notifiable disease outbreaks
• An urgent plan for regionalisation with the UK's trading partners to ensure that unaffected parts could still export pork in the event of an outbreak.
