Calls to halt EU pork imports as ASF sweeps across Europe

Pork imports from EU countries with confirmed cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) must be halted or the domestic pig sector could face economic devastation. That was the message from NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy as he warned the Westminster Government that ASF was ‘moving fast' across Europe, posing a serious biosecurity risk to producers.In a letter to Defra Secretary George Eustice, Mr Kennedy pointed out no checks had been carried out on EU pork imports to the UK since January 2021, adding this could not be allowed to continue. "The Government has taken no action to date due to concerns about breaking compliance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement," he said. "We have been told that action would be permitted if Europe is having difficulties in controlling disease outbreaks."Following discussions with European colleagues, this is clearly now the case. "I am in no doubt that should the situation have been reversed, our exports would have been stopped entering Europe many weeks ago."Scottish Borders pig producer Adam Marshall said the arrival of the disease in the UK would financially ruin the industry and see exports lost straight away, as well as knock consumer confidence in pork. Criticism Abderdeenshire pig farmer Roderic Bruce echoed Mr Kennedy's criticisms about the Government's continual postponement of import checks at a time of 'worldwide oversupply of pigs, brought about by volatility in the Far East markets and less labour availability due to Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic'. He added the inconsistency of import and export rules was piling further pressure on the industry, comparing it to 'tax'. "With 100 per cent mortality, ASF has had a devastating impact on China's national herd and saw 25 per cent of the world's pigs die," Mr Bruce said. "It was the biggest animal health disaster and if we were to get it on top of what we are going through, it will be hard to see our industry survive," he said. But National Pig Association chief executive Dr Zoe Davies said an outright ban would be difficult to implement at present due to the nature of the UK-EU trade agreement, which recognises regionalisation. "We are urging all retailers to favour British pork over EU imports, not only to support British pig producers during their time of crisis but to provide consumers with safe, traceable, high welfare assured British product," she said. "We are also working with closely with Government and partner organisations to ensure measures are in place which reduce the likelihood of the disease reaching the UK."ASF is a very real threat to the British pig industry and the wider farming sector and we must do all we can to prevent it getting to the UK." 'Exercise Holly' a useful cross-administration exercise for government departments Earlier this year, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the UK devolved governments ran 'Exercise Holly' to test the country's contingency plans to contain and eliminate African Swine Fever (ASF) should the disease reach its shores. Dr Zoe Davies, chief executive of the National Pig Association, branded it a very useful cross-administration exercise which gave government departments an opportunity to understand more about the commercial pig sector and how it operates. "While we will never be completely prepared for any notifiable disease outbreak, the exercise certainly showed us where more understanding and action was needed so we can continue to prepare and improve our response should the worst happen," she said.