Scotland’s Plant Health Centre and EPIC, the Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks have launched a new video animation explaining the risks of bringing animal and plant products into Great Britain. It highlights the potentially devastating impacts that contaminated products can have on farming communities and the environment.
It highlights the potentially devastating impacts that contaminated products can have on farming communities and the environment.

Plant products can unknowingly bring in pests that threaten local agriculture, ecosystems and food security. The potato famine was caused by an American plant pathogen, and over 100 pests and diseases have been identified as a threat to the potato industry in the UK.

PHC’s recent work has focused on Potato Cyst Nematode, Root-Knot Nematode and potato viruses. To protect plant health, buy plant products for your garden from local retailers, to ensure they are healthy and locally sourced or Plant Healthy certified. Learn more about our ongoing projects

Plans are now underway to show the animation in ports and airports to ensure that the public are aware of the risks of bringing back plant and animal material from abroad.  

The latest rules on plant and animal imports can be found at Gov.uk

The animation was created by the team at Ping Creates