Take note if you’re leaving the country.
Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has issued advice to the public about bringing ham and other food products into the country.
Holidaymakers are being asked to be vigilant about bringing home food products such as ham sandwiches from their holidays abroad in order to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF).
“Don’t bring back your sandwich; don’t bring back your salami”, the Minister urged.
ASF is spreading across the world with serious consequences for pig farmers, meat processors and exporters in the affected countries.
The disease itself poses no risk to humans, but Creed warned the public that if the disease was to spread to Ireland it could put more than 300 pig farmers out of business.
It’s a viral disease of pigs and wild boar that is usually fatal. The disease can result in devastating losses for pig farmers and the pig industry. In Poland, Lithuania. Latvia and Estonia alone, the loss to the export industry has been estimated to be in the region of $961 million.
