The UK government is not sufficiently prepared for a severe outbreak of animal disease, posing a growing risk to the poultry industry and wider livestock sector, a new National Audit Office (NAO) report has warned.
The report highlights increasing disease pressure, driven by climate change and antimicrobial resistance, alongside a lack of long-term strategy from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA).
While both bodies have managed recent outbreaks, including avian influenza, which led to the culling of 7.2 million birds between 2020 and 2025, the NAO found they would struggle to cope with a more severe or sustained crisis.
Key concerns include outdated infrastructure at the Weybridge science facility, a 20% vet vacancy rate at APHA, and the lack of a comprehensive livestock movement tracking system.
The British Poultry Council said: “Today’s report from the National Audit Office puts it plainly: the risk of an animal disease outbreak that Government cannot manage is above acceptable levels and there isn’t yet a plan to reduce it. With the right investment, the UK can build a capable and responsive future for animal health, but that means acting now, not after a major crisis.”