Swift political solutions and interventions are needed to reduce the impact of Brexit on Ireland’s farmers, according to Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan.

“Farmers cannot be left carrying the can and absorbing the full cost of Brexit," he said.

Cullinan was speaking in an address to the members of the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on Thursday.

He highlighted the ongoing challenge and impact of Brexit on Irish and European agriculture.

Burden

The Tipperary pig farmer raised the administrative burden, increased cost, uncertainty and potential lost market share from fully liberalised agriculture trade with the UK market.

“Speaking as an Irish farmer, Brexit represents cost, complexity and uncertainty, something farmers and businesses can do without.

“Nonetheless, these are the realities we now face in the aftermath of Brexit and the new EU-UK trade relationships, which we are yet to fully experience.”

Positive financial performance

Cullinan said it is essential that those economic sectors most affected by Brexit, such as agriculture, secure their fair share of allocated recovery funding.

The IFA president noted the relatively strong financial performance of the farming sector in 2021, but called on committee members to ensure agriculture is fully supported through the EU’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve in spite of this.

“This is not guaranteed within existing regulations and the relatively positive financial performance in any year of the reference period (2020-2023) should not prevent access to the necessary investment to respond to the new controls and challenges in the future.”

Trade barriers

Cullinan described the barriers to trade which will impact farmers in the EU and the UK and called for swift political action to address them.

“Our farmers face a lack of seed potatoes in the coming planting season, so a pragmatic solution must be found. We are not encouraged that one is forthcoming in the near term.

“We need swift political solutions, otherwise it’s farm families that will suffer.”

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