Let's hope that the farming community has enough energy left after this fiasco to demand a public enquiry into MAFF, its Veterinary services and crisis management. They could do worse than staff it with one or two experienced shipbrokers, stevedores and customs officers. The cost of complying with the precautions, despite all the stories of compensation, is going to be dumped firmly on innocent farmers with healthy pigs. The taxpayer covers the cost of putting literally hundreds of imported officials in some of the best hotels in East Anglia. Quite a lot actually.
Health scares are now a regular feature of the international landscape.
Shipping and its ports will often be at the sharp end of the problem. Shipping has the right to expect proper support, intelligent and efficient application of rules. Judging by this experience, it has no hope of keeping operating if Britain's Ministry of Agriculture has anything to do with the administration. Saving our Bacon Fortunately, the outbreak seems to have been contained and Britain's pork, in this area often reared outdoors in idyllic conditions by careful farmers, remains as good to eat as ever. I forgot to tell you.