I have read this morning that the Govt. have put a temporary ban on meat and dairy products being brought into the UK from the EU because of outbreaks of foot and mouth in various countries. No more cheese from my next trip then!
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Perhaps worth pointing out that it's not any kind of trivial 'political' move, it's to safeguard our UK farms from Foot and Mouth Disease which is currently something of a problem on the continent.
If you don't remember back to 2001 when we last had a major outbreak, maybe you need a memory jog of the horrors - OVER 6 MILLION COWS AND SHEEP where slaughtered to contain it over 2000 sites! Areas were 'no go' zones to stop the spread. Tourist industry was put on hold to limit travel. Farmers committed suicide as their life's work of pedigree herds and flocks were burned in huge pyres in their fields - horrible images that I never want to see repeated! We also came close to some rare breeds being eradicated if it had reached their limited numbers, and that is never good for the future of animal welfare and human food production, where their unique traits often provide solutions to man made problems in the 'commercial' stock.
I know quite a lot of 'country folk' and a few farmers, and they literally turn white with fear at the threat of it's return.
If cheese is your thing, there are MORE UK cheeses in every form than the French can offer, so seek them out and BUY BRITISH, better that than a repeat of 2001!
I sincerely hope the checks at our borders are thorough and the penalties severe for infringement, I NEVER want to see F & M in this country again.
Returned to France last Sunday after a week in England (Portsmouth / St Malo)
For the 3rd visit running UK Customs didn't check us coming into England but we got the 3rd degree leaving the country - they've even started checking the engine compartment! Plus we had to go through a gate like boarding an aircraft - get out the car, put metallic belongings on a conveyor, go through a gate etc. The staff were somewhat sheepish and apologetic as if say "this is a waste of time/resource and not our idea".
Plenty of nooks and crannies in a caravan, more so in a motorhome.
Doubt they will be that vigilant.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Not seen that before - sounds like they've really ramped up security. We usually just get waved through at Portsmouth. Were you one of the unlucky ones who get directed into the "shed"?
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I hope the temporary import rules are effective.
I worked at an agricultural college during F&M. It was heartbreaking because the policy in Scotland was the “contiguous cull” - one herd gets F&M, the healthy adjacent herds within a certain radius were culled too. This controlled the spread of the disease, but the iconic Belted Galloway was reduced to “rare breed” status because of the low number of breeding cows left. I still get excited now when I see a herd of “belties”.
I remember the large outbreak in 1967. I was at college in Wrexham, my best friend was from Werrington near Stoke. We quite often hitched there for weekends and saw all the dead cattle piled high. A horrible sight.
My father was a farm worker so I clearly remember the dreadful outbreaks of f & m.
I fear that there are many who will totally ignore the regulations and bring stuff back.
It was in the 1967 outbreak that my father found a local school teacher happily walking a class of children across a field of cattle. We had straw spread across all farm access points and it was saturated in jeyes fluid so that vehicle tyres were hopefully cleaned on entry. After all, the milk had to be collected from healthy farms.
So my plea to everyone, please follow the rules.
Perhaps we should follow the New Zealand example. When we arrived there, we went through the red channel because we had our hiking boots. These were taken and disinfected. The officer then happily chatted to us to check there was nothing else. All done in good spirit because we were helping them. She did tell us at the end of the process about some students who tried to go through the green channel and got an earful from the immigration officers and ended up spending a number of hours cleaning their boots and other gear.
I also particularly remember the outbreak in 1967, I lived in a farming community. We didn't have F&M or know any nearby farm who did, but heard all the tales from the district, and saw the smoke from the pyres in the distance. Our farm had the jeyes fluid mats plus a bath of solution to dip your wellied feet in when you went in. However, us kids were told to keep away mainly.
We don't tend to bring much food back, just what's left in the fridge. Maybe I'll smuggle a box of UHT milk out from the UK, then open and use it on the way home.
I vaguely remember the next outbreak, someone said 2001? The A6 was closed near Tebay, I had to find another route.
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Quote: Originally posted by bofs on 18/4/2025
Not seen that before - sounds like they've really ramped up security. We usually just get waved through at Portsmouth. Were you one of the unlucky ones who get directed into the "shed"?
As far as I could tell everyone was sent through the shed. There was hardly a huge number of peple waiting to board the ferry to France, Same happened late December and last October. Obviously they can't do this main season without massive delays. One oddity is they ask exactly the sane questions we used to get asked at Caen coming to the UK a few years ago - "Is this your car?" - "Did you leave it unattended at any time". Then there was a big camp of prospective stowaways near Riva Bella (not seen any of the "lads" for the last 18 months or so).
Trying hard to think of anyone trying to stowaway from the UK to France.......
A couple of years ago at Dover I was directed into "the shed" before crossing to Calais and they confiscated a pen-knife that I had in the door pocket of our MH because it had a locking blade. Not legal here but fine in France, just about any pen-knife bought in France has a blade that locks. I did not argue, the law is the law, but it still strikes me as odd that they took it as I was leaving the UK.
We were checked a few trips back - although I can't remember where. Either Dover or Newhaven. I assumed that they were concerned about anything which could cause disruption or a security risk on board.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
We were checked in Portsmouth twice last year, once in May and again in August, on way to France, and checked coming back into Portsmouth in August. A pita especially when you know you have nothing for them to worry about.But its their job.
------------- 74,going on 25
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Topic: EU Food Imports to UK
via mobile 17/4/2025 at 9:57am
