A new Efra (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) committee report that focuses on the rise of illegal meat imports highlights the concerns the NFU has consistently raised with Defra.
Earlier this year, NFU President Tom Bradshaw submitted evidence to the Efra committee and met with then Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed, urging the government to ensure that goods brought into the country do not undermine biosecurity.听
Today, Efra's report 鈥撎� 鈥� says that 鈥榓larming amounts of meat and dairy products are now being illegally imported to Great Britain for both personal consumption and sale鈥�.
It warns of the high risk of animal diseases that threaten food security entering the UK through illegal meat imports 鈥� concerns the NFU has aired for a number of years and particularly at the beginning of 2025 when the foot and mouth outbreak in Europe provided a stark reminder of the importance of upholding biosecurity standards as an important part of national security.听
And while the government is investing in its border controls, reports of an upsurge of illegal meats being seized at customs demonstrates the need for a stronger deterrent to match the scale of the threat.
Coordinated strategy
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淭he Efra committee report highlights the concerns that we have been raising for the past few years 鈥� that increasing illegal meat imports heightens the risk of animal diseases such as Foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever coming to our shores, threatening not only livestock farming businesses, our economy and national food security, but hugely impacting the UK鈥檚 ability to trade.
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鈥淲e need a coordinated strategy across government, local authorities and local port health authorities and sufficient investment to counter the biosecurity risks the UK faces from these illegal meat imports.
鈥淕overnment has committed to toughening the penalties for those that are caught, and we must see that implemented immediately so vehicles involved can be crushed at the earliest opportunity.鈥�
Key recommendations
Import controls have a vital role to play in upholding our nation鈥檚 biosecurity, food safety and international reputation.
Domestic producers, whether farmers, food companies or retailers, face a myriad of regulations and laws within the UK that ensure the food we eat is safe, consumers are not misled, and our environment, farmed animals and wildlife are protected.
British farmers must feel confident that border checks and controls safeguard the nation鈥檚 food. The implications go beyond the direct threat to domestic livestock and farm businesses, impacting whole sectors that can find their ability to trade and export restricted. The UK exports over 拢9 billion worth of animal and plant products each year which rely on the UK鈥檚 reputation for high biological security.
In its report, Efra agrees that prevention of animal disease outbreaks is key for our food security, ability to trade and mental health of all those involved. The report supports NFU asks in many areas and recommends a number of supportive actions:
- Defra to run a risk assessment to understand amount of illegally imported meat, probability that they are contaminated and resulting in infection in GB livestock.
- Defra to consult on a permanent import policy ban for the EU by April 2026 and keep the temporary personal imports ban until then.
- Defra must deliver a plan to immediately start fining and prosecuting repeat offenders and those who are attempting to smuggle significant amounts of animal products.
皇家华人would also support Efra's recommendation for a Defra strategy for POAO (Products of Animal Origin) smuggling, bringing in together government departments, agencies and local authorities.
We also support the recommendation of 鈥淎 taskforce for illegal imports of animal products should be established by November 2025, led by the Minister for Biosecurity, to provide oversight of the strategy鈥檚 design and implementation and to drive improvements.鈥�
What is the NFU calling for?
On illegal activity:
皇家华人would like to see the Border Force, working in partnership with our Port Health Authorities, to be given adequate resources to effectively stamp out illegal SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) activities.
Alongside this, the government is creating a new UK Border Security Commander, whose responsibility will be to minimise threats to the security of the UK鈥檚 borders. Its focus is tackling organised immigration crime, but the NFU believes that threats to our food supply and biosecurity must also be prioritised.
The consequences for those undertaking illegal activity must be sufficiently severe as to act as a disincentive. More needs to be done including:
- Routine recording of passport details of drivers sent from the Border to a BCP would encourage attendance.
- Sufficient sniffer dogs to identify vehicles transporting meat and meat products prior to boarding and during crossings.
- Vehicle X-ray machines (to identify consignments of meat (including bones) strategically placed within the curtilage of ports.
- Seizure and destruction of vehicles and other equipment used in the transport of illegal products.
- Effective and prominent communication (posters) at ports of entry and alerts provided during on-line travel booking systems.
On personal imports:
皇家华人would like to see information on new personal imports safeguards actively promoted to travellers coming into the UK.
皇家华人is also urging the government to set out a strict approach to personal imports typical of many other jurisdictions, preventing all forms of POAO entering from a third country, including from the EU (with limited exemptions such as infant formula).
To read the NFU's full submission, visit:
