The message
from martin contains these words:

On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 14:43:03 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

PK is correct, the illegal import of meat is a serious concern since
it may carry farm animal diseases. In other countries, restrictions on
/\/\

the accidental or deliberate movement of animal or plant material which
can cause environmental damage or infect food production are very tight
and for good reason.
Given this country's experience of imported problems and their
devastating ecological and economic impact, we should take better care.

I don't think there was any actual proof that the F&M outbreak was
caused by imported food. Wasn't it just a theory?

I haven't said otherwise; though afaik that possibility is one reason
why DEFRA is currently so concerned about the escalating quantity of
meat casually smuggled in by travellers, from countries where swine,
cattle and poultry diseases are endemic.

I had in mind the UK's experience of intractable imported problems such
as New Zealand flatworm, Japanese knotweed, rhododendron ponticum, and
(recently) oak phytophthera. There's another current example of a recent
exotic pond-plant escape into UK wetlands or waterways, but the name
eludes me.

Janet.