ASF: Union warns of dire consequences unless action is taken on pork imports
8th December 2021
African swine fever is spreading across Germany and has also been found in Belgium, Romania and Poland.
NFU Scotland has written to the UK government, calling for immediate action to stop imports of pork entering the UK from EU countries with confirmed cases of African swine fever.
ASF has up to 100% mortality rate on farm and there is no vaccine for the disease. NFUS warns that without action the risk of ASF entering the UK remains high and it has the potential to devastate the domestic pig sector.
In a letter written to Defra secretary of state George Eustice, NFUS president Martin Kennedy voiced the concerns of NFUS members:
‘Since January 2021, no checks have been carried out on EU pork imports to the UK. At a time when there is a serious biosecurity risk to our country, this can’t be allowed to continue. ASF is moving fast across Europe and we have had reports that the situation is worsening. It is spreading across Germany, is in Belgium, Romania, Poland and is now not far from France.’
Mr Kennedy says the UK government has taken ‘no action’ so far due to concerns about breaking compliance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The union has been told that action would be permitted if Europe is having difficulties controlling disease outbreaks – which Mr Kennedy says is ‘clearly now the case’.
He continues: ‘I am in no doubt that should the situation have been reversed, our exports would have been stopped entering Europe many weeks ago.’
NFUS urged the government to take action to ‘prevent devastation’ to the UK pig sector, by stopping pork imports from ASF-affected EU countries with immediate effect.
‘Unless action is taken soon, the serious risk of ASF entering the UK remains. The UK government must act quickly. Around 40% of the meat consumed in the UK is pork and the economic output of pig farmers in Scotland is significant’.
