Rural campaigners are calling for urgent action to protect Britain's livestock farms from a host of diseases following a recent investigation into illegal meat.
Last month, the Countryside Alliance uncovered evidence of widespread illicit smuggling of 'bushmeat' into the UK, bringing with it the possibility of disease introduction.
Calls for action are now growing increasingly louder, with Victoria Atkins, the Shadow Defra Secretary, now sounding the alarm over illegal meat imports.
Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia, as well as the African swine fever in Europe, come at a time when British farmers are already wrestling with bird flu and bluetongue.
The Countryside Alliance's investigation explored the growing trend of 'bushmeat', which covers wild mammals, reptiles and birds hunted in West and Central Africa, Asia and the Americas.
While meat imported legally into the UK must pass stringent health checks to ensure it is safe, smuggled bushmeat "dodges these", the group found.
Shockingly, the investigation found that the banned meat was being sold for home delivery via social media channels.
The Food Standards Agency (FA) advises consumers not to buy or eat bushmeat or other illegal meat, as it may be unsafe.
According to experts, the meat could be carrying serious infectious diseases, including foot-and-mouth, anthrax, Ebola virus, TB or cholera.
It comes as nearly 100 tons of illegal meat was confiscated at Dover last year – a rise of more than 75 percent on 2023.
Concerns were also recently raised after Northern Irish port authorities seized around 600kg of illegal meat that was smuggled into port on the Stranraer ferry.
Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins has written to her opposite number in government, Defra Secretary Steve Reed, pressing for assurances.
She writes: “Defra’s own figures predict that African swine fever could cost the UK £100m, and there are concerns from the industry that this could be more and would be catastrophic for the UK pig sector.
"We already know foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 cost the UK £14.7 billion in today’s prices.”
Following its investigation, the Countryside Alliance said the government needed to "safeguard our farmers" as diseases could "devastate" the industry.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, of the alliance said: “With foot-and-mouth and African swine fever a very real risk, and other diseases like avian flu and bluetongue already affecting livestock throughout the UK, it is crucial that the government take action.
“Farmers are already suffering because of recent political decision, from the sudden closure of the SFI scheme, to the recently announced Planning and Infrastructure, and, the devastating 'family farm tax'."
He added: “We need to safeguard our farmers - they are the bedrock of our rural economy and are vital for the UK’s food security.”
