Immediate measures to step up safeguards against African swine fever from Europe
The mitigation measures will help to prevent the spread of ASF across the border, protecting the pig sector worth over 拢8 billion to the UK economy聽
Immediate measures have been introduced to protect pig farmers and industry from an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.聽
ASF is a highly contagious and deadly disease in pigs and wild boar that can be transmitted through infected meat, but poses no risk to human health. The new safeguarding rules will help protect UK livestock by mitigating its spread across the border to the UK. 聽
To safeguard the UK鈥檚 pig and farming industries, personal imports of pork and pork products from the EEA (European Economic Area), the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland will be banned from tomorrow (Friday 27th September), unless such products are manufactured and packaged to EU commercial standards and weigh less than a maximum of 2kg.聽
An outbreak of ASF could have a significant impact on the UK鈥檚 拢8 billion pig industry, as well as its annual pork and pork product exports worth 拢600 million. It is estimated that an outbreak could cost the UK between 拢10 million to 拢100 million. 聽
Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman said: 聽
African swine fever is a deadly disease wreaking havoc in Europe.聽 聽
These new measures will protect British pig farmers and pork products, preventing聽infected meat from being brought over the border and threatening our biosecurity.
The UK has never had an outbreak ASF, and commercial meat imports are routinely checked at the border to ensure infected goods do not reach UK shores.聽
Preventing an outbreak of ASF in the UK remains one of Defra鈥檚 key biosecurity priorities, and it keeps policy on personal meat and dairy imports under constant review, as well as works closely with devolved governments on contingency planning and preventing an incursion from infected goods.聽
Those found to bring pork or pork products illegally may be fined up to 拢5,000 in England. Products will be seized and destroyed on arrival.聽聽
Defra is investing 拢3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority for 2024/25 to help Border Force tackle illegal meat imports and keep African Swine Fever out of Great Britain.