This move follows the lifting of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Surveillance Zone on Monday 5 November in GB. A ban remains in place on the import of animals from GB.
Based on the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's (DARD) latest veterinary risk assessment, all livestock movements may now take place to areas in GB that are outside the FMD Restricted Zone, without the need for the additional exporter biosecurity declaration. The situation will be reviewed immediately if any new outbreaks occur in GB.
These livestock moves are therefore strictly on a one-way only basis and no animals will be permitted to return to Northern Ireland. Any animals brought back to Northern Ireland will be detained at the port and re-exported. Multiple drop-offs and tail-gating to transfer animals at any point on the route to another lorry is permitted in Scotland only and not in England and Wales.
All exporters must present a self-certified Declaration of Disinfection on return to Larne Port.
All farmers, processors or people travelling, should maintain vigilance against the importation of Foot and Mouth Disease or Bluetongue, including through the movement of transport vehicles, equipment, or people.
Before exporting animals to GB, famers should consider whether the movements are essential to their business. If travel is a necessity, farmers must ensure good biosecurity. DARD continues to liaise and monitor the situation closely with Defra, other Devolved Administrations and with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Dublin.
Farmers and the rural community must remain vigilant, checking their stock daily, and maintaining strong biosecurity. Any suspicion of disease must be reported immediately to your private vet or local Divisional Veterinary Office (DVO). Farmers must also adhere to strict tracing, tagging and biosecurity arrangements. DARD will take action against offenders.
Further advice can be obtained by contacting your local DVO or on the DARD website at: www.dardni.gov.uk/index/animal-diseases/footandmouth and www.dardni.gov.uk/index/bluetongue-questions-answers
Notes to Editors:
1. If travel is a necessity, minimum precautions taken must include:
- Restricting your movements, if possible, to low risk locations.
- If you have been in contact with farm livestock, all clothing, footwear and any equipment used while handling animals should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected before return to Northern Ireland.
- Wash hands immediately after handling animals, and shower or bath as soon as possible and practice thorough personal hygiene.
- Avoid contact with other farm livestock in Northern Ireland for at least a week.
- Vehicles which are permitted to return must be completely cleansed and then disinfected such that they are free of faecal or soil contamination, and of any bedding or feeding material on landing in Northern Ireland. This should include the driving or living accommodation of any such vehicle. Any vehicle found to be unclean in the opinion of a DARD Portal Inspector shall be re-exported to Scotland.
- You should be aware of the biosecurity requirements of any markets, abattoirs and farms and comply with them.
- Do not land any food or food waste. Surrender all animal and dairy products to an officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
- If you have recently been in contact with farm animals, or are travelling from or to a farm premises, on return you must report to an officer of DARD at the port or airport.
2. Exporters should contact their local DVO at least 3 working days before the proposed export to enable processing of documentation.
3. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, tel: 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
