Defra has launched new posters for airports and ports designed to raise the awareness of controls on food, drink and plant imports to the UK among the travelling public.

The government agency described the posters as the latest step in a concerted effort to tackle the problem of illegal imports.

The National Farmers' Union welcomed the posters, but said Defra had taken months to reach this stage and there was still much more to be done.

NFU president Ben Gill said: 'We are pleased that government has recognised the strength of concern about illegal imports and is at last working to put it right.

'There can have been no clearer lesson than foot and mouth that this country ignores this problem at its peril. These posters will help raise awareness, but farmers will not be satisfied until there is clear evidence the situation is improving.' The Defra poster launch was preceeded by rigorous NFU campaigning.

Last October the union delivered a 30,000-signature petition calling for action on import controls to Defra minister Lord Whitty at the Labour Party Conference as part of its Stamp Out Illegal Imports campaign.