Austria faces export ban as foot-and-mouth disease spreads

The UK government has enforced a new ban on the import of livestock and related products from Austria, including dairy, due to concerns over the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The decision was made following a confirmed case in Hungary, in the region of Dunajská Streda, close to the Austrian border.

So far this year seven cases of FMD have been detected – in Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary – with movement restrictions and other control measures put in place.

See also: Foot-and-mouth disease detected in Slovakia

The latest cases in Slovakia have been found on three separate premises housing cattle, with more than 2,700 animals impacted.

Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said: “We will continue to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by FMD.

“This is why we have acted immediately to impose import restrictions on Austria – we will continue to keep the situation under review and will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease continues to spread further.”

The UK farming unions have expressed support for the new measures, welcoming the government’s swift action in preventing the spread of FMD.

William Irvine, president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), warned that diseases such as FMD and African swine fever could have devastating economic consequences if allowed into the UK.

He said: “These diseases pose a severe threat to cattle, sheep, and pigs, with devastating economic consequences if allowed into the UK.

“Coupled with ongoing challenges such as avian influenza, we must take decisive action to safeguard our livestock industry.”

In response to the growing threat, the UK farming unions are calling for a comprehensive five-step approach to protect the livestock sector.

These steps include implementing robust border measures, strengthening farm biosecurity, encouraging effective on-farm protocols, enhancing animal movement tracking systems, and reinforcing biosecurity best practices.

The government has urged farmers to stay vigilant.

Farmers are legally obliged to inform the Animal and Plant Health Agency if they suspect a case of FMD.