Public Servant Lifestyle

Holiday makers are being put in the front line to defend the UK against illegal imports of meat and plants.

Millions of holiday makers travelling outside the European Union (EU) this summer are being recruited by Lord Whitty, the Food & Farming Minister to be a front line defence in a campaign to reduce the risk of importing diseases such as foot and mouth into the country.

In a hard-hitting campaign "Don't Bring Back More than You Bargained For" the message from Chef Antony Worrall-Thompson, the face and voice of the campaign is check the UK's import rules before you go and if in doubt, leave it out.

Foot & Mouth

Holiday makers need to be aware of the rules so that they do not bring back more than they bargained for. The risk of diseases like Foot & Mouth can be reduced by following simple steps set out in leaflets, posters, websites and advertising.

Research carried out by DEFRA has identified a list of items which holidaymakers are likely to into the country. These items are either banned or severely restricted can pose a serious risk of carrying disease or harbouring pests.

They include:

• Raw/dried smoked meats;

• Dairy Products including cheese;

• Pot plants/cuttings;

• Fresh/dried fish;

• Potatoes

Lord Whitty said: "The devastation that Foot and Mouth disease caused to the farming and tourist industries is still fresh in our minds. So it is in everyone's interest to make sure they play their part. Farmers and others are playing their part to help prevent the spread of disease. But more needs to be done to prevent disease entering the country in the first place.

"At airports and ports around the UK, Government is alerting travellers of the risks of importing disease. Easy access to information through leaflets, posters, internet pages and through travel agencies will now be available to holiday makers and business travellers who travel outside the UK.

Local Delicacy

"A local delicacy like smoked meat or an exotic plant may seem the ideal souvenir - yet it may end up being more than you bargained for. These items may harbour bacteria, pests or viruses that could devastate our farming and tourist industries."

Antony Worral-Thompson - who himself breeds pigs - confessed his surprise at some of the everyday foodstuffs prohibited from import from a variety of countries. He said: "It goes without saying that I have a keen interest in food and we all get wonderful inspiration for new dishes from travelling abroad. Yet it's amazing how many food products, for instance, dairy products, are not permitted, dependent on where you buy them!

"My advice for everyone travelling for business or pleasure outside the UK is check the rules before you go. Harmful bacteria and viruses aren't visible. So, if in doubt, leave it out."

Risk

The ‘Don't Bring Back More Than You Bargained For’ campaign is part of a wider strategy to reduce the likelihood of a large scale outbreak of disease, which has included the changeover of responsibility for combatting illegal food imports to H.M Customs & Excise.

Customs & Excise has become responsible for anti-smuggling
controls on illegal imports of meat and other animal products imported directly from non-EU countries at UK ports and airports.

The Government is investing £25 million over the next three financial years to tackle these illegal third country imports. Of the £6 million that has been provided for 2003/04 Customs will be allocated £4 million to begin a rolling programme of work in tackling illegal imports of meat
and animal products.

This new investment will help fund:

- An additional four mobile anti-smuggling detection teams with particular responsibility for tackling smuggling of meat and animal products from non EU locations

- More detector dogs targeting this smuggling

- Extra intelligence activity

- A publicity campaign at ports and airports in the UK and overseas.

Customs aim to reduce the level of risk of exotic disease entering the UK from illegal imports of meat and products of animal origin from non-EU countries and will deploy the additional resources at locations throughout the UK where the highest smuggling risks for such diseases are identified.

Lord Whitty added: "We can never completely eradicate the risk of disease from imports of food and plants but we can, working with all our partners in the farming, food, drink, transport industries and supported by the travelling public, reduce the risk of unwittingly introducing and spreading diseases by being aware of and sticking to the rules."

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