NSA urges government action on illegal sheep meat imports

Vast quantities of sheep meat have been brought into the UK illegally during the past few months, according to industry intelligence.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) called for the “alarming rise” in illegal sheep meat imports to be addressed urgently by the new Labour government.

Illegal imports could pose a major threat to both public health and farm businesses as they risk bringing new diseases to the UK.

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Phil Stocker, the NSA chief executive, said illegal imports of sheep meat have been found to be bypassing crucial safety and quality controls at UK borders.

“This not only undermines the integrity of domestic sheep farming, but also jeopardises food security by introducing products that do not meet the rigorous standards expected of UK-produced meat,” he said.

“This situation is not just about unfair competition; it’s about the potential for severe long-term damage to the UK’s agricultural industry.

“These illegal imports could introduce diseases and lower the standards that we have worked tirelessly to maintain.”

Mr Stocker has called for full import controls to be enforced by government to ensure that meat entering the UK faces the same level of checks as products being exported.

Emma Bradbury, policy manager at the NSA, added that the organisation is particularly frustrated by continued delays to full border controls being implemented on EU imports.

She said: “NSA has repeatedly warned that the absence of stringent checks is creating an unlevel playing field, putting UK farmers at a distinct disadvantage while compromising the quality and safety of food products entering the country.

“It’s imperative that the government takes swift and effective measures to halt these illegal imports.

“The UK’s sheep industry, already under immense pressure from rising costs and market volatility, cannot afford the added burden of competing against unlawfully imported meat.”