The EU and UK have agreed a basic trade deal that avoids tariffs and quotas on products traded between them. However, it does mean the reintroduction of bureaucracy or red tape on trade between the Republic of Ireland and Britain and Britain and the island of Ireland, because Northern Ireland continues to remain aligned with the EU single market. This means no disruption whatsoever on trade across the border on the island of Ireland.

The following are some of the scenarios identified by readers of the Irish Farmers Journal, and while some solutions or easing of restrictions may emerge as the EU and UK administer the agreement, these are the current positions.

Brexit has happened. I was expecting freight chaos and lorry queues, but it all seems to be running OK – does that mean it’s all going to be OK?

It is too early to say because the first week of January is usually quiet and even more so this year as traders looked to move supplies ahead of Brexit. We will have a better idea by the end of January but increased administration on busy routes like the English Channel means there is a high risk of delays.

Does the new direct ferry service from Rosslare to France solve the problem for Irish exporters by avoiding travel through Britain?

The new ferry service is a welcome addition but not in itself a solution. The landbridge through Britain has been the preferred route to the continent for Irish exporters because it is faster, has many more sailings, has much more capacity to carry trucks and is slightly cheaper. It also provides the opportunity for hauliers to do an extra delivery by picking up a load on the continent for delivery to Britain, then picking up a load in Britain for delivery to Ireland.

Will the trade for factory cattle going north for slaughter cease now?

This trade had already increased from 13,317 in 2019 to 21,033 in 2020 (to week ending 19 December). With no tariff barriers because of the deal, the incentive for cattle to go north is reduced, but it will continue to be a significant trade, especially if there is any disruption or delay to NI factories importing carcase beef and lambs from Britain.

Why is my factory looking for lighter lambs and why does it want lambs to be brought to the factory in the early morning? What has that got to do with Brexit?

Lighter lambs chill faster and the earlier in the day they are processed, the quicker they are cooled for transport. This is important if using the direct shipping route to France as there are only one or at most two sailings daily.

Are seed potato supplies an issue?

Yes, as things currently stand seed potatoes from Britain cannot move to the EU (and Northern Ireland) from 1 January 2021. This is because the EU has not granted third country equivalence, or in other words, the EU is not satisfied that Britain will maintain EU standards on seed potatoes.

But we can import ware potatoes for chipping, what’s the difference?

While Britain is not approved as a third country for the export of seed potatoes, it has been approved across a range of other produce, including ware potatoes. It means that chipping potatoes can be imported into the EU as long as they are accompanied by the correct documentation.

Can I send my bull to Stirling for the pedigree sales this year?

For a pedigree breeder in Northern Ireland (NI), the process of taking a bull to a sale in Britain is largely unchanged. The main problem arises if the animal is unsold, or bought by a NI breeder.

The current export health certificate required to take this animal back to NI includes a requirement for a six-month residency period in Britain, and a 40-day standstill on the last farm. Unless a workable solution is found, there will be no live breeding animals coming from Britain to NI.

What about those 7,000 breeding sheep in Britain that are owned by NI farmers?

Among the requirements listed in the export health certificate required to accompany live breeding sheep moving from a third country (Britain) to the EU (including NI) is that the sheep come from scrapie-monitored flocks. Only a few flocks in Britain are scrapie-monitored, so unless the health certificate is changed, these sheep cannot come to NI.

Is importing or exporting straw going to be a problem?

There is no change in the rules for importing straw as no certificate is required. This is despite the concerns of tillage farmers relating to with the spread of blackgrass.

What’s all this talk about green lanes?

This has been suggested for trucks in transit between Ireland and France using the UK as a landbridge and from NI using Dublin Port. This is not in place currently but may happen in time if agreed by the Trade Partnership Council, the EU-UK body that will administer the agreement.

Will the UK look to do free-trade deals with other countries like Brazil or Uruguay and if so how long could this take?

The UK is free to make trade deals with any country. It is not currently in negotiations with Brazil or Uruguay but is in discussions with Australia, New Zealand and has had preliminary discussions with the US.

What has changed for a fridge container of beef leaving Ireland next week in terms of route, checks, customs, paperwork, time, costs?

Previously a delivery from Ireland to Britain had just whatever commercial documentation the seller and buyer agreed.

Now a veterinary health certificate plus customs declaration is required for every delivery. The port of exit in Ireland and arrival in the UK have to be notified, with the product entered on to the UK health system.

Checks at UK ports haven’t yet begun physically (though they will by end of June) but certificates are electronically checked.

I have heard a lot of hauliers would have picked up a backload in Europe for a drop in the UK on the way back when they would then pick up another backload for Ireland. Is this route now affected?

There are stricter rules for UK hauliers operating in the EU but Irish hauliers will be able to pick up anywhere in the EU and deliver in the UK. They can also pick up in the UK and deliver to the EU.

What does sanitary and phytosanitary checks (SPS checks) mean?

SPS checks are applied to goods of animal or plant origin and carried out at points of entry to the EU from third countries and replicated by the UK on goods coming from the EU.

Brexit: your questions answered

Over the coming weeks, the Irish Farmers Journal will be answering your queries on Brexit, the changes it will mean for farmers and how it will impact on agricultural businesses.

What do you want to know about the changes? Let us know here: