As a devolved region, hard lobbying is needed for Northern Ireland agriculture as UK withdrawal negotiations with the EU take place, former UFU president Harry Sinclair told the executive committee.

“This will involve negotiations here, in London and in Brussels. We do not underestimate the scale of the task,” current president Barclay Bell said in a statement afterwards.

“For now the only certainty is that the existing CAP support measures and trading arrangements will remain in place until a new system is agreed,” Bell said.

He said that there were many areas where NI farmers needed reassurance including substitute support measures for the CAP, market access to Europe and a trading relationship across the Irish border for all agricultural products.

Bell said that the UFU welcomed recognition from Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Michelle McIlveen and Economy Minister Simon Hamilton that future financial support and market access was important for the industry in NI in withdrawal negotiations.

“We were encouraged by their commitment and by their assurances that they will be at the centre of negotiations at Whitehall,” said Bell.

Executive committee members said that it was important to continue to produce food in NI to the same high quality standard post-Brexit and that regulation would not be reduced as the UK leaves the EU.

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