A no-deal Brexit when the UK leaves the EU next year will have a "disastrous outcome" for Northern Ireland's sheep sector, farmers have warned.
Northern Ireland’s beef, sheep and hill farming sectors have joined with red meat processors to warn that 'no deal' would lead to a "very risky outcome".
With time tight and, to date, no middle ground between London and Brussels, the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) and Northern Ireland Meat Exporters Association (NIMEA) say they have "deep concerns" about the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU next March with no trade deal in place.
The UFU said Northern Ireland would face up to 60 per cent tariffs on exports and unfair competition in the UK market from lower standard meat imported from outside Europe.
The concerns are backed up by two independent reports from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), highlighting the dangerous vulnerability of the beef and sheep sector to a no deal result.
'Dubious quality'
John Kennedy, UFU hill farming Chairman warned that this cliff-edge scenario would mean the effective closure of export markets.
“The AFBI report in particular underlined the negative impact of losing the French lamb market, if we default to a WTO relationship with the EU,” Mr Kennedy said.
“There must also be a settlement that protects the UK from being flooded with cheap food of dubious quality.”
France currently takes around half of UK sheep exports.
Conall Donnelly of NIMEA added that uncertainty is a "growing concern" for processors as well as farmers.
He said it is hard to see any outcome that could be worse than no deal.
“While we hope this will not happen no one can be sure. One problem already is uncertainty and brinkmanship,” Mr Donnelly said.
“Long before we get to March 29, this is already a trade barrier with the potential to make suppliers and customers hedge against the risk of a hard Brexit.”
'Distort supply'
Sam Chesney, UFU beef and lamb Chairman added the challenge was not only to get a good deal, but to ensure that as the negotiations intensify uncertainty does not cause damage.
“A no deal outcome would distort supply chains and create significant risks for farm businesses, whether they are primary beef and sheep producers in the hills or lowland finishers,” he said.
John Kennedy said that in the run up to the crunch EU heads of state October summit, both Brussels and London must recognise the impact failure to agree a deal would have on farming families.
“Politicians need to focus on finding solutions, rather than ramping up the rhetoric which only feeds uncertainty,” he said.
Approximately 80% of the 25,000 farms in Northern Ireland are beef and sheep businesses.
