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NI restricts imports from Germany after foot-and-mouth outbreak

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Foot-and-mouth is highly contagious in pigs, sheep and cattle

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have restricted animal imports from an area of Germany following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

A government ban on pig, sheep and cattle imports from Germany announced on Tuesday did not apply to Northern Ireland.

On Thursday, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said that it has "strict import controls" in place, prohibiting movement of animals and animal products from foot-and-mouth disease affected areas.

The Ulster Farmers' Union said everyone in the industry was extremely concerned and called for increased vigilance at the border and at ports.

Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal exports to Britain from the EU mean health certificates are required for EU goods.

However, through the Windsor Framework Northern Ireland remains aligned to the EU in a number of areas, including animal and plant health rules.

On Tuesday, the government said that it would not approve health certificates for animals, fresh meat and animal products from Germany to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth in England, Scotland and Wales.

On Thursday, Northern Ireland's Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said that his department has "robust contingency plans in place" to manage the risk of the disease.

"That means that all susceptible species and their products from disease control zones in Germany are restricted from moving to Northern Ireland," he added.

Biosecurity

The last case of foot-and-mouth in Northern Ireland was in 2001.

While it rarely affects humans, foot-and-mouth is highly contagious in pigs, sheep and cattle, as well as other cloven-hoofed animals.

In 2001 and 2007, the UK suffered major outbreaks of the disease, leading to millions of livestock animals being slaughtered across the country.

William Irvine, from the UFU, said: "We are all too well aware of the devastation this disease can cause having hit our region just over 20 years ago and almost bringing Northern Ireland to a standstill.

"The first port of call must be intensifying biosecurity at key access points into the island of Ireland and Britain, to stop this disease from reaching a local herd."

UUP assembly member and chair of the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs committee, Robbie Butler, said he has sought urgent clarification about the steps the minister and the department are taking.

"The news of confirmed foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Germany is a genuine cause for concern for all," he added.

"That England, Scotland and Wales have quickly introduced measures to protect farmers in those regions, the implementation of the Windsor Framework means that no such protections are in place for farmers and their livelihoods in Northern Ireland."

TUV leader Jim Allister has blamed the Northern Ireland Protocol for the exclusion.

"This is because we are subject, not to UK laws, but EU laws and they continue to allow imports across the EU, including NI, provided they are from outside the immediately affected area of Germany," said the North Antrim MP.