4 February 2026: Outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Botswana
Updated 6 May 2026
漏 Crown copyright 2026
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OVS鈥痭ote number: 2026/04
Date: 4 February 2026听
笔耻谤辫辞蝉别听
To inform you that, following a recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Botswana, imports of听fresh bovine meat听are now restricted.听
叠补肠办驳谤辞耻苍诲听
Botswana has听notified WOAH听of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in a herd of cattle听confirmed on 29 January 2025:听.听
The outbreak is in Zone 6b听of Botswana, from which imports of fresh bovine meat are not听permitted听(due to an earlier outbreak of FMD in 2022) 鈥撎�.听Further suspicions of disease have now听also听been reported in听Zone 3c.听听
OVS note听2026/02听was issued on 30 January 2026, notifying of the FMD outbreak and听requesting听that consignments of fresh bovine meat and animal by-products that have not undergone a form of risk-mitigating treatment听be held.听
Defra has听assessed听the听current听situation and听determined听that,听until the听extent of the outbreak of disease in Botswana is听clarified, imports into GB of fresh听bovine听meat processed听on or听after听30 December 2025听from Botswana听should be temporarily听restricted.听This听restriction has been听implemented听today (4 February 2026)听by听applying a closing date听of 30 December 2025 to Botswana鈥檚 listings for fresh meat from bovine animals听in the听.听As a result of this change,听imports of fresh bovine meat produced in Botswana听on or after听30 December 2025 are now restricted.听
Although听Botswana is also听listed听for imports听of听fresh听meat听of听ovines,听caprines,听and farmed听and wild听non-domestic ruminants, these are听not eligible听for听import as there听are听no approved residue control programmes听for these听commodities.听听
Whilst approvals for听some听ABPs听are听linked to the fresh meat listing, Botswana cannot send ABPs to Great Britain. This is because there are no ABP establishments approved to export to Great Britain.听As a result, exports of affected ABPs from Botswana continue to be prohibited.听
Please be aware that fresh beef produced in Botswana can be dispatched to the UK from a cold store in South Africa, these consignments are also subject to these restrictions.听听
Contact point for enquiries听
贰尘补颈濒:听imports@apha.gov.uk听
Imports and鈥疎U鈥疶rade Team