The government has moved swiftly to bolster biosecurity measures in response to a confirmed outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany.
The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner, addressed the House of Commons on Wednesday, reassuring MPs that decisive action is being taken to protect British farmers, livestock, and rural communities.
“The whole House will be aware of the concern across rural communities about the potential threat of foot and mouth disease,” said Mr Zeichner. “It is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that can have a significant economic impact, and a truly devastating effect on farming and rural communities when outbreaks occur.”
Mr Zeichner reminded the House that the UK has been free of foot and mouth disease since 2007 but warned against complacency following the outbreak in Germany’s Brandenburg state, confirmed on January 10.
To mitigate risks, the government has suspended the commercial import of cattle, pigs, and sheep from Germany and restricted personal imports of animal products from across the European Union.
The Minister announced that the UK’s risk level for foot and mouth disease has been raised to medium, urging livestock keepers to maintain rigorous biosecurity practices. “Livestock keepers should be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity,” said Mr. Zeichner. While he emphasised that the disease poses no risk to human or food safety, its highly contagious nature could cause catastrophic damage to the farming sector if it reaches British shores.
Guidance on preventing foot and mouth disease has been published on the government’s website. Farmers have been urged to report any suspicious symptoms to the Animal and Plant Health Agency immediately. “The Government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by foot and mouth,” Mr Zeichner assured the House.
The outbreak has raised questions about cross-border collaboration, particularly given the UK’s proximity to affected regions. Conservative MP for North Dorset, Simon Hoard, expressed concerns about the shared land border on the island of Ireland and the implications for trade. He asked Mr Zeichner to confirm whether the precautionary principle would guide the government’s actions and what conversations were taking place with the Irish Government.
“We will, of course, take every precaution and apply the precautionary principle,” Mr Zeichner responded. He confirmed that the Government is in active communication with all devolved administrations and that discussions with the Irish Government are planned. “The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be having conversations later today,” he added.
For many MPs, the news of the outbreak brought back memories of the devastating 2001 foot and mouth epidemic, which severely affected rural communities across the UK. Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, Sarah Dyke, spoke about the emotional toll on farmers, highlighting that 73% of farmers experienced depression and anxiety during the last outbreak. She noted that almost half of the farming community is already dealing with anxiety due to various challenges.
“As a farmer’s daughter, I fully remember the sickening impact of the last foot and mouth outbreaks across Somerset and Dorset, particularly on farmers’ mental health,” said Ms Dyke. She asked what plans the government had to support farmers who may be impacted by this or any other biosecurity threat.
Mr Zeichner acknowledged the mental health challenges faced by farmers and assured the House that measures to support affected individuals would be considered if the outbreak reached the UK.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure [foot and mouth disease] does not extend into our country. Should it develop further… we will look at further measures to help and support people, but we are not at that stage,” he said.
MPs across the political spectrum voiced support for the government’s actions. Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Minehead, Rachel Gilmour, praised the cross-party approach to tackling the issue. “I am sure that my farmers, like me, will be hugely grateful to know that the ban will operate with cross-party support; our farmers are more important than party politics,” she said.
Ms Gilmour urged Mr Zeichner to ensure robust communication with farmers, recalling the importance of clear messaging during the 2001 outbreak. “The amount of communication with farmers before the outbreak was the only thing that made it easier for them to understand what was going on,” she said.
In response, Mr Zeichner reassured MPs that the government is focused on transparency and clear communication. “We are trying to ensure that foot and mouth disease does not arrive on our shores,” he said. “We have excellent measures and excellent people in place, working very hard to ensure that we do not get to that point.”
The outbreak has also reignited discussions about the UK’s veterinary agreements with the European Union. Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, Caroline Voaden, asked whether the situation in Germany would accelerate efforts to secure a veterinary deal.
Mr Zeichner pushed back against the suggestion that extra impetus was needed. “The Government have committed to get a better deal. What I can say to the hon. Lady is that the relationship with our German colleagues is excellent at the moment, and they are giving us the full co-operation that we need,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted the government’s ongoing investment in animal disease research and biosecurity infrastructure, including a £200 million upgrade to the UK’s main testing facility at Weybridge. “This reflects our proactive approach to protecting the nation’s farmers and livestock,” he said.
Join Somerset Live’s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone
Somerset Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.
Through the app, we’ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.
To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Somerset Live team.
We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.
To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Click here to join our WhatsApp community.