UK government introduces urgent ban after outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease

A new ban has been introduced to protect British farmers after an outbreak of foot-in-mouth disease (FMD) in Germany. 

The Department for Evironment, Food and Rural affairs (Defra) has introduced an import ban on cattle, pigs, and sheep from the affected country. 

There is currently no risk to humans or food safety, but FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads between cattle, sheep, pigs, and cloven-hoofed animals.

It can cause economic problems as production slows down and access to foreign markets for animals, meat, and milk are cut off. 

Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said: “The Government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by Foot and Mouth.

“That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak and we will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads.

“We will continue to keep the situation under review working closely with the German authorities.”

Germany has detected an outbreak of FMD in three water buffaloes near Berlin, marking the first cases in the EU since 2011. All three died and 11 others were killed as a precaution.

Agriculture minister Cem Özdemir said they are trying to “quickly push back the virus in order to protect animals and minimise damage to our agricultural and food sector”. 

Transporting livestock has been banned until Wednesday evening in the Brandenburg region that surrounds the German capital.

UK chief veterinary officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said: “We remain in constant contact with German counterparts to understand the latest situation following their confirmation of a single case of Foot and Mouth disease.

“We have robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and Britain’s food security, which means using all measures to limit the risk incursion and spread of this devastating disease.

“I would urge livestock keepers to exercise the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, follow scrupulous biosecurity and report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.”