The DUP’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Westminster spokesperson, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has said the rise in bluetongue cases in Great Britain is “extremely worrying” for Northern Ireland.
The first case of bluetongue since March 2024 was detected in a single sheep at a premises near Haddiscoe, South Norfolk on August 26. Since then, the disease has been confirmed on 23 further premises.
Earlier this week, a case of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) was confirmed following suspicion of disease in cattle at a premises near Withernsea, East Riding of Yorkshire. This premises is an area previously free from bluetongue.
A 20km temporary control zone has been declared and the affected animal will be culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.
Bluetongue
Following cases of the disease on a number of new premises in Suffolk, the restricted zone and infected area has been extended to cover Essex earlier this week. It now covers the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
Lockhart said the restricted zone in south-east England covers a “substantial” radius across the three regions, and called for farmers to exercise “extreme caution and source livestock responsibly”.
The MP is also urging Stormont Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir to implement a ban on all live EU animal imports into Northern Ireland.
“Animals originating in GB are prohibited from entering Northern Ireland, but there are no current restrictions on farmers importing livestock from disease-free zones in mainland Europe.
“Animals are permitted to travel through bluetongue-infected areas to reach their destination, subject to meeting strict conditions and rigorous post-import checks,” according to Lockhart.
Defra and Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) officials “must act urgently” to stop any such imports entering Northern Ireland, either via Great Britain or the Republic of Ireland, she said.
The DUP’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Westminster spokesperson said herd and flock owners should refrain from sourcing breeding stock from mainland Europe for the foreseeable future.
“Anyone who has imported animals recently, or is contemplating such a move, is jeopardising Northern Ireland’s lucrative agri-food industry.
“Disease knows no boundaries and it is crucial that we adhere to all necessary precautions to try and keep bluetongue out of Northern Ireland,” Lockhart said.
The Upper Bann MP and her party colleague and Stormont Agriculture Committee member, Michelle McIlveen MLA met with representatives of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) earlier this week at UFU headquarters in Belfast.
Speaking after the meeting, McIlveen said “bluetongue brings devastating consequences and it is clear from our meeting that the UFU is very concerned about the seriousness of what is unfolding on farms in England”.
“Bluetongue serotype 3 has been confirmed in a number of regions across Europe. Windborne movement of infected midges and the importation of animals from bluetongue-infected areas poses a very high risk to our industry,” she said.
