Monday night’s Claire Byrne Live show featured the strangest 10 minutes of television so far this year.

One segment in the crowded show featured a discussion on Brexit and Irish farming, following straight on from George Lee’s excellent documentary on that thorny subject.

Sandwiched in between, however, was a debate on veganism featuring vegan Keith Walsh and Patrick Kent, the ICSA president.

Unfortunately for all farmers, Kent somehow contrived to be the one with the most “out-there” views.

Kent quoted a Texan study that “a proper diet balanced with the right level of Omega 3s” reduced the rate criminals re-offended from 57% to 7%, and he then casually linked veganism to Alzheimer’s disease.

The oddest comment followed: “I was in Africa, and the only obese person I met was actually vegetarian.”

When Cormac Healy of Meat Industry Ireland contributed to restore some balance to the conversation, he was wrongly tagged by the programme as Macra’s president. Actual Macra president James Healy, Macra chair Eamon Cassells and Henry Burns also weighed in to try and salvage the situation, but it wasn’t a night to remember for our sector.