Act now to prevent ASF 'catastrophe'

摘要

More resources should be allocated to surveillance at ports and airports to help keep illegally imported meat and African swine fever (ASF) out of the country and prevent a "potentially massive catastrophe" for the pig industry, the National Pig Association (NPA) has urged. While welcoming last month's announcement by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) that it was working on a poster campaign to raise awareness at points of entry into the UK, NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said there needed to be "more tangible evidence" of the Government's intention to tackle the problem. "Infected imported meat is one of the key routes for ASF to enter the country, which is why the risk needs to be addressed," she said. "However, there are currently just two sniffer dogs deployed to detect meat in passenger luggage operating across the UK and there are no targeted plans to search the baggage of passengers coming in from high-risk countries." In June, traces of the ASF virus were found in meat brought into Northern Ireland illegally. In the same month, more than 300kg of illegal meat and dairy products detected in passenger luggage was seized by officials at Northern Ireland's airports, according to the country's Department of Agriculture. Environment & Rural Affairs.