An outbreak of FMD (foot and mouth disease) virus serotype O has been confirmed in a herd of water buffalo near Brandenberg, in the Markisch Odèland district of Germany (to the west of Berlin). This is the first instance of FMD in Germany since 1988.
The cases were confirmed on 10 January 2025 and affected three water buffalo out of a herd of 14. The remaining animals in the herd have been culled to prevent further spread.
200 pigs on a nearby farm have also been culled as a precaution.
The NFU is aware that Belgium is also investigating suspected FMD with results from those investigations expected today (13 January 2025).
The UK Government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of FMD with a ban on imports of cattle, pigs and sheep and their products from Germany to Great Britain.
GB health certificates will no longer be issued for animals susceptible to FMD including all live animals and fresh meat and animal products. Details can be read via: GOV.UK | Government introduces import ban of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany to protect farmers after Foot and Mouth case
A 3km exclusion zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been put in place around the IP (infected premises) and the German authorities are slaughtering all susceptible livestock within 1km, including wild boar within 1km of the IP.
Additionally, no animals or their products can be taken out of this area.
The German authorities are conducting the relevant investigations to determine the source of the infection.
Vaccines
Suitable vaccines against FMDV (foot and mouth disease virus), serotype O are available in the German FMD antigen bank. Once activated by the Länder, the FMD antigen bank can produce the necessary vaccines within a few days.
Surveillance information will determine any further measures that may need to be taken, as well as whether and how to use a vaccine.
“With so much uncertainty about where this disease is and where it came from, and knowing the impact this horrendous disease can have, we're calling on the government to ban personal imports of meat, milk, and meat and milk products, unless accompanied by official veterinary documentation.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Trade impact and considerations
Germany has lost its FMDV disease freedom so cannot export live animals or products of animal origin, including meat or dairy (from susceptible species). See section on automatic regionalisation.
Ruminant livestock movements were already stopped because of bluetongue, although this previous stoppage did not apply to live pigs as they are not susceptible to bluetongue.
The UK does have pre-Brexit robust limits on what can be brought in by non-commercial, personal travellers from non-EU/ EFTA states. However, this is not the case for personal imports from the EU.
There are limited restrictions on what can be brought into the country from the EU.
The UK was promised a new personal imports policy by the previous government, to be published in October 2023, as part of the new BTOM – that has not yet happened.
The only current limits on personal POAO (Products Of Animal Origin) coming into the GB from the EU are:
- to limit the amount of pork that can be brought into GB to 2kg and it must be packed and carry a health mark. (This is for ASF safeguards)
- suspension of personal imports of unpackaged sheep and goat meat / milk and meat/ milk products.
Additionally, commercially produced and packaged sheep and goat milk and milk products are not permitted from Greece, Romania and Bulgaria (areas affected by Peste des Petits Ruminants outbreaks).
In January 2003, following the 2001/2002 outbreak, the EU commission implemented a robust safeguard against FMD which remains in place today, whereby:
‘Travellers entering the EU from certain third countries will no longer be allowed to bring in personal imports of meat, meat products, milk or milk products, on their person or in their luggage, unless accompanied by official veterinary documentation.’
The NFU is calling for a similar robust approach to be applied in the UK. Also, that those who are policing illegal imports, including our Border Force and Port Health Authorities have the necessary resources they need to stamp out this activity where it exists.
The UK’s Office of SPS Assurance is considering what safeguard measures will be put in place following the outbreak in Germany. A statement is expected shortly.
The NFU is aware that German authorities are holding at least 10 containers of chilled pork and cured bacon and gammon at their ports now.
In addition, Germany has announced a 6 day stop of livestock transport for animals that transmit the disease.
Automatic regionalisation
Throughout the EU there is a policy of automatic regionalisation, whereby animals and POAO (Products Of Animal Origin) from Germany can move to other Member States providing they do not originate from the 10km zone.
Great Britain has not yet recognised regionalisation, so products cannot be certified from anywhere in Germany to move direct to Great Britain.
Under the TCA (UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement), Great Britain will look at any requests for regionalisation based on epidemiological information. (Northern Ireland has a more complicated situation as it mirrors Southern Ireland, so must adopt the EU’s stance on automatic regionalisation.)
Until such a request has been received and considered, POAO cannot move directly from anywhere in Germany, or indirectly moving from Germany to another Member State, into Great Britain. These products cannot be certified.
Port Health Authorities have been instructed to hold any product that has come from Germany at ports (live animals, germinal products, any untreated products of animal origin (eg any fresh or frozen pork meat), hay and straw.
Importers will be given the option to either return or destroy, but this option hasn’t been issued yet as guidance.
Commodity restrictions
As of 13 January 2025, the UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance has amended its third country listings to suspend the following commodities from FMD-susceptible animals from the whole territory of Germany:
- Live ungulates: through the removal of BOV-X, BOV-Y, OVI-X, OVI-Y, RUM, and SUI certificates from Germany’s entry in the live ungulates third country listing.
- Ruminant and porcine germplasm: through amendments to the third country listings for:
- porcine semen,
- bovine semen,
- bovine embryos,
- ovine and caprine embryos,
- and ovine and caprine semen.
- Porcine semen from the whole territory of Germany is already restricted due to an outbreak of ASF.
- It is now additionally restricted due to the outbreak of FMD.
- Fresh meat of ungulates: through the removal of BOV, OVI, RUF, RUW, SUF, and SUW certificates from Germany’s entry in the fresh meat of ungulates third country listing.
- Meat products that have not been subject to at least heat treatment D1.
- Treatment D1 requires that products are subject to ‘heating so that an internal temperature of 70 °C or greater is maintained for a minimum of 30 minutes’.
- This has been achieved through the application of treatment D1 in columns 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 in the meat products third country listing.
- Imports of meat products from FMD-susceptible animals subject to heat treatment D1 are still permitted.
- Raw and pasteurised milk and raw and pasteurised milk products (including colostrum): through amendments to columns A and B in Germany’s entry in the milk and milk products third country listing.
- Imports of milk and milk products under column C are still permitted.
For more information on EU and EFTA states approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), visit: GOV.UK | EU and EFTA countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain
Expected personal import restrictions
Restrictions on personal imports of commodities from susceptible animals (primarily ruminants and porcines) from the EU will be brought in as soon as possible. These will reflect the recent tightening of ASF controls:
- All unpackaged ruminant and porcine commodities will be restricted from the entire territory of the EU.
- All commercially packaged ruminant and porcine commodities from the EU are limited to 2kg per traveller, and must bear an identification or health mark (or commercial labelling if it is an animal by-product) to evidence it is commercially produced.
- No ruminant or porcine commodities will be permitted from the entire territory of Germany, including commercially packaged commodities.
- Susceptible animal commodities include bovine, caprine, ovine, cervid, porcine and camelid products.
- Certain exemptions apply for infant milk, medical foods and certain composite products (e.g. chocolate and biscuits).
- Live animals, germplasm and untreated wool, hair, skins and hides are not permitted for personal import under separate rules.
NFU comment
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “The confirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany is very worrying news for all livestock keepers across the EU.
“We welcome the swift action taken to ban imports from Germany. While we hope the disease remains contained, we urge the government to take similar action if it’s found to be circulating in other countries. It is paramount our borders are secure so we don’t risk importing FMD into the UK.
“That’s why we’re also calling for a ban on personal imports of meat, milk, and meat and milk products, unless accompanied by official veterinary documentation, and for the government to ensure that those fighting illegal meat imports, including Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice.
“With so much uncertainty about where this horrendous disease is and where it came from, and knowing the devastating impact it can have, it’s vital the government maintains constant contact with counterparts in the EU.”
Spotting the signs
FMD affects cattle, sheep and pigs. The last outbreak in Great Britain was in 2007. Currently, there are no cases or control zones in the UK.
For information on spotting the signs, visit: GOV.UK | Foot and mouth disease: how to spot and report it
- Signs of foot and mouth disease
- Report foot and mouth disease
- How foot and mouth disease is spread
- Preventing and controlling foot and mouth disease
