LONDON — Britain is banning travelers from the EU from bringing meat and dairy products into the country as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) spreads across the continent.
The move means travelers can longer bring cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use. Any contraband found at the border will be confiscated, seized and destroyed.
Earlier this year, the government banned personal imports of cattle, sheep, and other meat products from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria in response to confirmed outbreaks of FMD in those countries.
The new restrictions will not apply to goods arriving from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man.
While FMD doesn’t pose a risk to humans and there are no current cases in the United Kingdom, it’s a highly infectious disease that puts Britain’s farming industry at significant risk.
U.K. Farming Minister David Zeichner said: “This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth. That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain’s food security.”
National Farmers’ Union President Tom Bradshaw warned that “while the FMD source remains unidentified in parts of Europe, stricter border controls are essential.”
“The government must now ensure passengers are aware of the new rules and that those fighting illegal meat imports, including the Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice,” he said.
Bradshaw called for an investment-backed “cross-government biosecurity plan” to place restrictions on a permanent legislative footing.
