The UK government banned the import of cattle, pigs, sheep, deer, buffaloes and their products, such as meat and dairy, from Germany last week after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD).
UK authorities stepped up measures to prevent the spread of FMD, following the first German case for 40 years just outside Berlin, in the Brandenburg region.
FMD, which is not harmful to humans, was found in a herd of water buffalo on January 10th, although further testing of animals within a kilometer of the outbreak have not highlighted any further cases of the highly contagious disease.
According to reports, the UK imports two-thirds of its dairy products and one-third of its pork from Germany, which means there could be issues with supply levels during the ban.
It is currently unknown how long the ban will be in place as German officials continue their investigation. However, UK businesses are asked to suspend their imports of related products from the country in the meantime.
Should you require further information on the above, or assistance with products that were already enroute, then please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Killick Martin team.
