“Deep concern” over pig disease threat after import checks revelation

Frozen, raw and uncooked meat products marked as suitable for sale only in the EU country from which they originated have recently been found at UK retailers during routine inspections by local authorities, a government report has revealed.

Further investigations found the products had been bought by two importers linked to over 280 UK retail outlets. The products were exported commercially, and properly pre-notified on the UK imports system.

The document says: ‘Although the products didn’t test positive for African Swine Fever on this occasion the very fact that these products reached the UK presents a serious and immediate threat to the UK pig industry.

‘These goods would not have made it to the UK if Sanitary and Phytosanitary controls had been in place because they would not have been certified for export by a veterinarian in the originating country.’

The admission was made in a document outlining the government’s plans to introduce new checks on imports from this October, under the Border Target Operating Model, which will be phased in over the following year.

Lack of import checks “massive risk”

Commenting on the revelation in the government’s report, NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said: “This is the first we have heard of this, and we are, to say the least, alarmed and shocked, but not altogether surprised.

“We have been saying for a number of years now that the government’s refusal to impose proper checks on EU meat imports poses a massive and unacceptable risk to the UK pork sector.

“This is clear proof of that, as set out by the Government, which has admitted that this lack of controls means meat that has not been properly inspected and could, therefore, spark a devastating ASF outbreak in the UK has potentially been sold in numerous retail outlets in this country.”

She added that this will be “hugely concerning” to all pig producers, whose livelihoods are under threat from AFS. NPA will seek assurances that the government will tighten up controls between now and October 2024 when the new system comes into force.

The issue will also be raised with the National Food Crime Unit, she concluded.

Threat of imported disease

Although UK exporters of meat products to the EU have faced burdensome checks since January 2021, the government has not yet introduced post-Brexit checks on EU imports – prompting concerns over the threat of importing disease such as AFS.

The news comes shortly after recent exposés involving Booths being supplied meat products mislabelled as British, and the pork fraud scandal which revealed a processor to be involved in mislabelling meat and food safety issues.

A Defra spokesperson said:“Since we left the EU, the UK Government has operated controls on goods imported from the EU that pose the highest risk to our biosecurity, including pork and pork products.

“Last year we announced new controls restricting the movement of pork and pork products into Great Britain to help safeguard pigs, and travellers are no longer allowed to bring pork or pork products weighing over 2kg into GB, unless they are produced to the EU’s commercial standards. This measure helps limit possibly infected pig meat being brought into Great Britain through various means, such as in passengers’ luggage or in vehicles.”