The need to ensure “adequate” UK border resources are in place to keep foot and mouth and other exotic diseases out of the country, is one of four key demands included in a pre-general election leaflet prepared by the National Pig Association (NPA).
The leaflet, which is being sent this week to 200 MPs and candidates, also calls for EU legislation, as applied in the UK, to be science and evidence-based; for planned fresh pork labelling to be  extended to processed meats as soon as possible and for all third-country food imports, particularly pork, to meet EU welfare, environmental, sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
The NPA leaflet is largely a statement of industry status and achievements, for MPs and candidates to consider ahead of the general election. Â The selection of 200 target politicians for the document reflects the number of pre-election contenders who declared an “interest in farming”.
Details of the four demands are as follows:
- We consider it absolutely essential government protects these jobs (250,000 related to pig farming, processing and retail) by ensuring adequate Border Post resources in order to keep out foot and mouth and other exotic diseases that can be transmitted in fresh and frozen meats.
- We believe EU legislation and its transposition into UK law should always be science and evidence-based and should not take undue account of single-issue groups which, in our view, use a pretended interest in animal welfare and the environment as a cover for radical veganism.
- We believe all consumers should know where their meat comes from. We welcome the introduction this year of mandatory origin labelling for fresh pork, and want to see this extended to processed meats as soon as possible.
- We consider it absolutely essential that all third-country food imports, particularly pork imports, meet EU welfare, environmental, sanitary and phytosanitary standards.