Dr Neil Hudson MP was on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme in a news piece talking about the potential risks to our country from catastrophic animal diseases like African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth. The news piece was shining a light on the potentially devastating impact that illegal meat imports would have on farming, animal health, our economy and our environment.
Data obtained by a Freedom of Information Act showed that the amount of illegal meat seized by Border Force has more than doubled in a year despite the number of shipments remaining the same. There is therefore concern that large-scale smuggling is being conducted by organised criminal gangs.
The previous Conservative Government implemented the Border Target Operating Model, which came into effect earlier this year, but with growing seizures, Dr Hudson is urging the new Government to fully fund the necessary redevelopment of the Animal and Plant Health Agency HQ to avert the risk of a critical incident for the UK's biosecurity.
Dr Hudson has long campaigned on the issue of biosecurity, having been spurred into politics following the devastating 2001 Foot and Mouth Crisis where he served as a Veterinary Inspector.
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Speaking afterwards, Dr Neil Hudson said:
"If we do not take advantage of the post-Brexit powers to fully scrutinise animal and plant products entering the country, we open the door to potentially devastating diseases such as African Swine Fever or Foot and Mouth. This would hurt animal health, our agri-food industry, food prices, our trade standing, the environment and so much more...
"As the first vet elected to the Commons since 1884, I was deployed during the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, overseeing some of the horrendous culls that came to portray the crisis. I've seen first-hand the grim consequences of animal disease outbreaks and I'm determined that they remain consigned to the history books."
