Pig farmers call for tighter checks on EU meat amid surge in African Swine Fever

Pig farmers are calling for greater assurances that border checks on meat coming in from the European Union (EU) are being conducted properly as the number of African Swine Fever cases reaches a 10-year high.

Farmers say the disease would devastate herds in Scotland and want the new UK Government to ensure controls are enforced.

Roderic Bruce, the chair of Scottish Pig Producers, said: “For me if it came into the herd, it would be devastating, the whole herd would have to be culled.

“We have to stop it from coming into the country because once we’re designated as a swine fever country our export markets go.”

African Swine Fever is extremely contagious among pigs and is almost always fatal for animals once contracted.

It’s mostly spread through infected pork products, which don’t affect human health.

To date there haven’t been any confirmed cases in the UK but its spread across the EU is causing concern for Scottish farmers.

Andy McGowan from Quality Meat Scotland said: “We’re getting worrying reports that these checks are just not happening. What we’re really worried about is African swine fever because it directly or indirectly killed a quarter of the world’s pig populations.

“Some 90 countries are grappling with this, 14 of them are in the EU, so it’s critical that we stop meat that may be carrying it from coming into this country.”

Post-Brexit checks on pork products were delayed five times before they were brought in at the end of April.

The UK Government says it’s not complacent about stopping the spread of African Swine Fever and is working closely with the port authorities and the UK Border Force to make sure robust controls are enforced.

The Scottish Government has also recently announced more than £400,000 worth of funding to improve biosecurity among herds.

Bruce added: “We’re in a better position than we’ve ever been in my 40 years, and we have this one cloud hanging over us.

“We can do nothing about this as an individual farmer.

“We’ve really worked to improve the health of our pigs but we rely on the government to keep this out.”