Government introduces import ban of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany to protect farmers after foot and mouth case
Exports of animals and meat susceptible to the disease prohibited
The government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD), following a case being confirmed in Germany.
The commercial import of cattle, pigs, sheep, deer, buffaloes and their products such as meat, and dairy from Germany will now be banned to protect farmers and their livelihoods. GB health certificates will no longer be issued for animals susceptible to FMD including all live animals and fresh meat and animal products.
As of 15 January it is no longer permitted for travellers to bring unpackaged meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, certain composite products and animal by products of pigs and ruminants into Great Britain from the EU, EFTA states, Faroe Islands and Greenland. Additionally, these products may not be brought to Great Britain from Germany, even if commercially packaged.
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer is also urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD following an outbreak of the disease in Germany. There are no cases in the UK currently.
FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals. Livestock keepers should therefore be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity.
FMD causes significant economic losses due to production losses in the affected animals as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and milk for affected countries.
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.
Everyone can help stop animal diseases spreading to this country by not bringing home meat, cheese and milk products when they travel abroad.
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 disease.
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.
This comes as the government announced a £200 million investment in the UK’s main research and laboratory testing facilities at Weybridge to bolster protection against animal disease.
What you can do
If you’re an animal keeper, read about how to spot foot and mouth disease and report it.
If you’re an importer or exporter, read about the import restrictions for foot and mouth disease.
Clinical signs to be aware of vary depending on the animals, but in cattle the main signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed. In sheep and pigs, signs tend to manifest with lameness with potential for blistering.
Maintaining good biosecurity is essential to protecting the health and welfare of herds and critical to preventing the spread of diseases such as FMD and preventing an outbreak spreading.
Foot and mouth disease is a notifiable disease and must be reported. If you suspect foot and mouth disease in your animals, you must report it immediately by calling:
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03000 200 301 in England
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0300 303 8268 in Wales
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your local Field Services Office in Scotland
Updates to this page
Published 14 January 2025Last updated 15 January 2025 + show all updates
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This has been updated to reflect changes to personal imports.
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First published.