Office bearers of the UK’s four farming unions convened in Cookstown today for a summit ahead of the Ulster Farmers’ Union annual dinner. Hosted by UFU president William Irvine, the meeting brought together key agricultural leaders including Robert Neill, vice president of NFU Scotland; Rachel Hallos, vice president of NFU; and Aled Jones, president of NFU Cymru.
With the growing threat of virulent animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth disease (FMD), African Swine Fever (ASF), Bluetongue, and Avian Influenza, the UK farming unions reaffirmed the urgent need for strengthened biosecurity measures to protect the nation’s livestock supply chain and maintain consumer confidence in UK pork, beef, lamb and poultry.
The unions welcomed the UK government’s recent decision to ban meat imports from Hungary, Slovakia and Austria into GB in response to the ongoing FMD outbreak in central Europe. This action follows a previous ban on German meat imports earlier this year after an isolated FMD case near Berlin.
In response to the escalating risks, the UK farming unions are calling for a comprehensive five-step approach to safeguard the UK livestock sector:
- Keep it out: Implement and invest in robust border measures to prevent commercial, passenger and illegal imports of disease-carrying products.
- Stop disease reaching farms: Strengthen farm biosecurity to prevent contamination through people and vehicle movements.
- Prevent disease spread: Encourage effective on-farm biosecurity protocols.
- Trace animal movements: Enhance tracking systems for swift detection, reporting and containment of disease outbreaks.
- Reinforce biosecurity best practices: Define and promote best-in-class biosecurity measures across the farming sector.
Commenting on the issue, UFU president William Irvine stated, “The recent outbreak of FMD in central Europe and the spread of African Swine Fever among wild boar, highlight the need for heightened vigilance among farmers, government agencies and the public. These diseases pose a severe threat to cattle, sheep and pigs, with devastating economic consequences if allowed into the UK. Coupled with ongoing challenges such as Avian Influenza, we must take decisive action to safeguard our livestock industry.”
The UK farming unions are also urging the government to adopt a strict approach to personal imports, mirroring policies in other jurisdictions. This would include preventing all forms of products of animal origin (POAO) from third countries, including the EU, while allowing limited exemptions for essential goods such as infant formula, as seen under EU regulations.
A key concern raised by the UK farming unions is the need for sufficiently resourced public authorities, including the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The unions warned that without adequate personnel and budgetary support, the UK risks being unprepared in the unfortunate event of multiple outbreaks occurring simultaneously. Ensuring APHA and other relevant agencies have the resources to monitor, detect and contain animal disease outbreaks is critical to mitigating potential crises and maintaining the integrity of the UK’s agricultural sector.
The UK farming unions also stress the necessity for appropriate and efficient funding to be made available by the UK government as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review to ensure effective biosecurity measures. Without adequate financial support, the ability to implement robust disease prevention strategies and respond swiftly to outbreaks will be severely compromised.
Looking ahead, the UK farming unions are committed to working closely with the government to develop and refine contingency plans to respond effectively to disease outbreaks. This includes:
- Strengthening coordination between farming unions, government agencies and industry stakeholders to improve rapid response mechanisms.
- Investing in training and simulation exercises to prepare authorities and farmers for potential outbreak scenarios.
- Expanding disease surveillance programs to enhance early detection and prevention.
- Reviewing and updating compensation schemes to support affected farmers and ensure business continuity.
By taking a proactive approach, the UK farming unions aim to ensure that the industry is fully prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to future disease threats, protecting both farmers and the wider economy.
With disease threats increasing, the UK farming unions stand united in calling for urgent government action to prevent a crisis that could devastate the nation’s agricultural sector and food supply chain.
