Brussels is unlikely to have any measures in place for Irish farmers should the UK crash out of the EU in March, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has conceded.

“I don’t think you’re going to have a plan that’s ready to go on 30 March,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal in an exclusive interview.

“The Commission are going to have to see the quantifiable impact.”

The minister did say that his department is “preparing for all eventualities”, although he is “still optimistic” that a no-deal scenario can be avoided.

That is not enough for the IFA, which is calling for an immediate fund to underpin beef prices post-Brexit.

Irish farmers cannot wait until April for the minister to act

“For every 5c/kg change in the cattle price, we need €20 per head compensation,” IFA president Joe Healy asserted.

“Talking to Phil Hogan’s team, there will be support and it won’t be out of CAP,” he said.

IFA livestock chair Angus Woods said: “Irish farmers cannot wait until April for the minister to act.”

Healy and Woods were speaking in Nenagh on Tuesday evening.

Farmers will have to wait until the last minute to see the shape of the supports put in place by Brussels in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal on Tuesday, Minister Creed said: “If you’re asking me if the cheques are written, no, that is not appropriate at this time”

While the minister’s words might fail to reassure farmers, he may be constrained in how much he can reveal of the plans being put in place.

Talks

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that extensive talks are ongoing between Dublin and Brussels.

They are working on emergency measures that could be quickly triggered should a no-deal Brexit occur.

In August 2014, the European Commission responded to the Russian ban on food products with support for the vegetable sector within four days.

Farmers will hope the response to any Brexit crashout will be at least as quick.

The IFA is much more specific in its position. It wants the Commission to provide compensation of €20/head for every 5c/kg change in cattle price.

For beef farmers, that would mean €100 per head were the price to fall by 25c/kg.

With about 400,000 cattle being killed between April and June, that would require a fund of €40m for the first three months alone.