Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said we must prepare for all possibilities in the wake of the Brexit referendum. He was speaking at the talk on the implications of Brexit on Irish agriculture organised by Muskerry Macra in Macroom, Co Cork on Friday.

"This was a consultative referendum. We have to take the prime minister [Theresa May] at her word, 'Brexit is Brexit'," Minister Creed said. "As it crystallises, UK farmers might rue the day they voted to leave if promises made regarding farm payments aren't upheld."

He added that he was "alarmed at the rhetoric across Europe in the days after the vote. The EU should look at why is it so many UK citizens voted to leave. What is the mission statement now for the EU to reconnect with citizens across Europe?"

The panel also consisted of Bord Bia's Joe Burke, CEJA president Alan Jagoe and Donal Whelton from AIB, and fielded a number of questions from the audience

The UK is a sophisticated consumer

Asked how Brexit would connect with our climate change obligations, Minister Creed said: "We are bar none the most carbon efficient in terms of milk production on the planet. The UK is a sophisticated consumer, I do think there is an increasing awareness of sustainability particularly in premium markets."

Joe Burke said that EU member states would be financially fined if they did not hit their climate targets. He added that a "vast majority of purchasers in the UK have extremely high standards as it stands".

But Alan Jagoe wondered how British policy would deal with the congradiction that while "UK farmers are expecting lower requirements,the Swiss now have stronger regulations environmentally than EU". If the UK wants strong trade ties with the EU similar to those enjoyed by Switzerland, it will have to adhere to EU regulations. "Will the UK government continue with a cheap food policy?" Jagoe asked.

British beef market

Asked about the consequences of Brexit for Ireland's beef exports to the UK, Joe Burke said: "Give our customers more credit than they get. British customers will buy British beef first, Irish beef is a close second."

Burke highlighted that the UK does not import South American beef, even though it could at the moment. He also cautioned against blaming any beef price pressure on Brexit, explaining that the 20c/kg drop since last year was due to a range of factors including increasing production in Ireland.

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