Ireland’s export-dependent agriculture and food industry is bracing for the global trade war sparked by US president Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Irish dairy and tillage are most exposed to the US tariffs through significant butter and whiskey exports.

The EU has not imposed retaliatory tariffs on US bourbon and dairy products, which will ease concerns in the Irish drinks and dairy industries that they could face tariffs above 20% in a tit-for-tat trade war.

Tirlán chair John Murphy described the US tariffs as a “huge, huge concern” for the company and all farmers, while Dairygold CEO Michael Harte called on the EU to consider the overall implications of counter-tariffs.

Lakeland Dairies CEO Colin Kelly said moving its butter production to Northern Ireland to take advantage of lower 10% tariffs could lead to extra production costs.

Kerrygold business

Ornua said additional tariffs would hit its Kerrygold business, US customers, and dairy farmers who supply Kerrygold.

Irish machinery manufacturers directly hit by the 20% tariffs include Major Machinery, Malone Machinery and Denis Doyle Ltd.

Speaking from his US trade mission, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon conceded that Ireland and farmers are very trade-dependent, saying: “That’s why we need to continue to talk, engage, work together to work through this.”