Tighter border controls needed to keep animal diseases out, says NFUS

With memories of the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and more recently the importation of bluetongue disease still vivid in the minds of farming leaders, NFU Scotland this week called for more resources to prevent any more exotic animal diseases coming into the UK.

The move to strengthen HM Customs border security follows a growing number of animal disease outbreaks in other parts of the world. In southern Russia, African swine fever is now deemed to be out of control. In the past week, several new cases in northern Russia have brought the devastating pig disease much closer.

Foot-and-mouth disease is still a risk and is present in a growing number of areas including Bulgaria, south-east Asia, Libya, and South Africa.

Speaking from Brussels, where he had been taking part in animal health and welfare talks, NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller stated that illegal food imports increased the risk of bringing in a number of diseases, many of which would have devastating consequences for the livestock industry in Scotland.

"Proper focus must be given to preventing these diseases reaching here in the first place."

He said the union appreciated that efforts had been made to step up border controls, but these entry points into the UK were still the points of greatest risk of disease arriving here.

"Policing at control points and the level of illegally imported meat found are, at best, an indication of the scale of the threat that our livestock industry faces. The reality is that the threat is currently increasing and we believe the government needs to respond accordingly."

The current outbreaks of ASF in Russia are widely scattered and there are now some infected areas close to European borders. "All pig farmers must continue to play their part by ensuring their herd biosecurity is up to scratch.

"That isn't just a message for commercial pig producers but must also extend to the growing number of hobby farmers keeping small numbers of pigs. It is timely to remind everyone that swill feeding is banned in the UK and food scraps and catering waste must not be fed to pigs."

He also believed that within the UK the government needed to step up the level of information directed at travellers and bolster enforcement to prevent any imports of food being brought in illegally.

"Publicity on illegal food imports at ports and airports remains poor and lags behind the level of information found when entering countries like Australia, New Zealand and the US.

"NFUS would like to see improved signage within all points of entry to help raise public awareness. The risk of disease transmission from imported food must be better promoted and may be the most effective measure, particularly against casual imports from the EU."