The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has called on the UK Government to deploy stronger security measures to combat the illegal import of meat to the UK following a confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease in Hungary last week.
On Thursday 6 March, 2025, Hungary confirmed its first foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) case in more than 50 years, with the case found on a cattle farm in the North West of Hungary, near the border with Slovakia.
The news follows a reported case of the virus in a herd of water buffalo in Germany earlier this year - the first reported case in Germany since 1988.
The UK Government has responded by preventing the commercial import from Hungary and Slovakia of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and other non- domestic ruminants and porcines such as deer and their untreated products, such as fresh meat and dairy.
In addition, as of 8 March, travellers will no longer be able to bring meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, certain composite products and animal by products of pigs and ruminants, or hay or straw, from Hungary and Slovakia to Great Britain.
In light of the situation, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has however urged the UK Government to undertake greater measures to combat illegal imports which pose significant risks to animal health and the UK’s biosecurity.
Earlier this year, a Freedom of Information request found that authorities at the Port of Dover seized almost 100 tonnes of illegal meat in 2024. More recently, in January 2025, the Dover Port Health Authority said it had removed 25 tonnes of illegal meat, triple the amount seized for the same period last year.
The UK’s biosecurity measures are currently subject to an inquiry by Westminster’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee, with the Farmers’ Union of Wales warning that insufficient security measures to combat illegal meat imports could leave the UK’s agriculture sector vulnerable to serious diseases such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever.
Responding to the foot-and-mouth case in Hungary, and the need for greater intervention to address the illegal meat imports, Farmers’ Union of Wales President, Ian Rickman said: “News of Foot and Mouth Disease on mainland Europe for the second time this year will be a cause for alarm among livestock owners. While it's crucial to stress that this disease poses no threat to human health or food safety, as evidenced by the 2001 outbreak, its potential impact on the agricultural sector and our rural economy and communities cannot be understated. In light of the developing situation, I’d like to remind livestock keepers to remain vigilant and practise good biosecurity.”
"The UK Government has taken immediate action to protect our borders by suspending the import of susceptible products from Hungary and Slovakia, however, the FUW has warned on several occasions that there is a dire need to increase security measures and vigilance to combat illegal meat imports. These pose a significant threat to animal health and the UK’s biosecurity, and in light of this most recent threat, significantly stronger government action to combat these illegal imports is essential."
The UK has remained free from foot-and-mouth disease since 2007, and following the recent cases on mainland Europe, the UK Chief Veterinary Officer is urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of the disease. Foot-and-mouth disease does not infect humans and does not pose a food safety risk.
