INDUSTRY UPDATE

The 30th April deadline has been firmly fixed in our diaries for many months. Equine semen has been classed as a high-risk commodity and as such, would require identification and physical checks on arrival in the UK (with documentary checks having been carried out remotely prior to arrival) from this date on.  Our team have been working hard to find a suitable solution, which can enable equine semen imports to meet their delivery deadlines. We’ve attended meetings with officials across the sector, including several visits to the East Midlands Airport (EMA) BCP, UPS UK EMA Hub and Minister for Biosecurity, Animal Health and Welfare, Lord Douglas-Miller.  It very quickly became apparent that the checks process to be implemented (mainly at Stansted and East Midlands Airports) would mean that many packages would not be able to meet connecting domestic flights nor courier delivery vehicles in time for critical same day insemination. 

Defra’s Animal Diseases Policy Group has approved a process, whereby imported consignments of chilled equine germinal products may have the identity checks undertaken by BEVA certified AI vets at destination and the results conveyed to the official vets at the Border Control Post of entry.  This process is still being ironed out and further details of the proposed pilot scheme are yet to be finalised, but it is a positive step forward and will mean that we can continue to offer our chilled semen importation service for many EU based stallions in addition to the largest selection of stallions stationed here at Stallion AI Services for the 2024 breeding season.

We would like to thank all parties for their continued efforts in enabling these changes to happen. Our local MP Helen Morgan has been instrumental in raising this issue in Parliament and instigating Tullis and Pam’s meeting with Lord Douglas-Miller and Kelly Furber.

We will keep you updated on any further news as and when we receive it from the Ministry.