Watch EPIC and Scotland’s Plant Health Centre’s new animation on the risks of bringing animal and plant products into Great Britain
On 20 June, a new informative video was launched focusing on the risks of personal imports of animal and plant products into Great Britain. The animation, introduced during the event “Don’t Risk It: Personal Imports of Animal and Plant Products,” at the Royal Highland Show, explains that bringing contaminated products into Great Britain can have potentially devastating impacts on farming communities and the environment.
Developed through a collaboration between EPIC, Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks, Scotland’s Plant Health Centre (PHC), and Scottish Government, the video aims to help the general public understand the reasons for current rules and restrictions on specific plant and animal products entering the country.
Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity of Scotland attended and spoke at the launch event. He highlighted the animation as one of the first promotional resources that supports the Scottish Government’s communications strategy around the risks of bringing specific foods and other products into the country. The GOV.UK website identifies products that are permitted, and those that will be confiscated by Border Force officers.
Over 40 researchers, livestock stakeholders and policymakers attending the launch event heard from Gianluigi Rossi, representing EPIC, and John Jones, representing the PHC. They showcased their work addressing specific examples of diseases and pathogens that have been spread globally due to air travel.
Diseases such as African Swine Fever, and pathogens in plants such as, potato cyst nematode can survive for varied lengths of time and continue to spread after entering the country on contaminated products. Gianluigi and John warned the public to consider that in addition to putting animals and plants at risk, the impacts of deadly disease outbreaks also hurt rural markets and farmers.
Postcards that further explain these pathways of disease spread were available at the EPIC stall in the Scottish Government marquee on the 19 to 20 June.
Jim Fairlie closed the launch event reaffirming the importance of the animation’s message to all of Great Britain, “I want to ensure we have robust biosecurity measures here in Scotland for our farmers, crofters, and all of us because this doesn't just affect us as an industry, it affects the entire country. So, I am determined that we will protect the farmer and food sectors and the rural economy.”
Watch and learn more about the video on the animation webpage.
“Bringing back plant material from abroad may seem harmless, but it’s one of the common ways dangerous pests are introduced to new regions.” - Scotland's Plant Health Centre
