Pig farming leaders have called on the government to implement a series of urgent actions to prevent and prepare for an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). 

Although ASF doesn’t affect humans, it is a highly contagious and fatal disease among pigs, which are a key sector in East Anglia's farming economy.

Last month, Norfolk farmer and National Pig Association chairman Rob Mutimer wrote to Defra secretary Thérèse Coffey asking for "decisive action" to install "proper protections at our borders" as the devastating virus spreads in continental Europe.

The sector's fears have been exacerbated by delays in the implementation of the government's Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) which has been pushed back from October until next year.

There are also concerns over a "lack of preparedness" in the event that ASF reaches the UK pig herd.

In a briefing to MPs, the NPA has outlined the industry's needs, including "no further delays on checks for goods entering the UK from the EU".

It has also called for improved border controls for meat imports, such as sniffer dogs at ports and airports, and better communications, including messaging at points of entry, to emphasise the risks of bringing in meat products.

And it wants a review of APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) resources to ensure it has the capability to respond effectively to outbreaks, particularly as the continued threat of bird flu in poultry means that "we could very conceivably see concurrent outbreaks of two different notifiable diseases".

Finally, the NPA says: "We urgently need to agree a plan for regionalisation with our trading partners to ensure that unaffected parts of the UK could still export pork in the event of an outbreak."

In response to Mr Mutimer's letter, farming minister Mark Spencer insisted that preventing an outbreak of ASF remains one of the UK’s key biosecurity priorities, and highlighted controls already introduced to restrict the movement of pork products into the country.

“The government remains committed to delivering the most effective border, and the controls regime set out in the BTOM is key to achieving this," he said.