There was a subdued reaction among farmers to the result of the Brexit vote at Ballymena Livestock Mart. It seems the reality of the situation has yet to sink in.

North Antrim is a region of Northern Ireland where the leave vote had a majority. But regardless of voting preference, farmers shared a common concern over the impact on beef and sheep prices given that the full exit details will not be known until the autumn period.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, a number of farmers who backed the leave campaign are hoping for less stringent regulations imposed at farm level and a more practical approach to cross-compliance to be taken in future. Farmers who voted to remain still want to see less red tape around cross-compliance but were more anxious about securing access to Northern Ireland’s export markets for beef and lamb.

All farmers are now wondering how domestic market prices will react. Given the dramatic shift in currency overnight, farmers remain anxious about how exports will be affected and how quickly things will settle down to re-establish normal trading conditions.

All farmers were in agreement that they need strong representation from farm organisations to secure continued access to current markets. In addition, farmers are calling on farm organisations and elected representatives to ensure that proper financial support is delivered for the agricultural sector and targeted at active farmers in the wake of the EU exit.

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