DEAR SIR

As a young beef and sheep farmer working in north Leitrim, I am very concerned about the signing of the recent Canadian European Trade Agreement (CETA) and its implications for farmers.

Hot on the heels of Brexit, our traditional markets for beef and dairy are being whittled away. With the UK being our biggest customer for beef, buying almost 50% of Irish beef production, €1bn of this €4.5bn market, the future of that market is now uncertain. The onslaught of CETA would open us up to imports of Canadian beef.

If CETA is ratified, 50,000t of Canadian beef could potentially enter the EU duty free.

Disappointed

I was hugely disappointed to hear that the majority of MEPs, including the Irish representatives, voted against a legislative review of CETA related aspects or that no impact assessment of the effects on agriculture in Ireland or Europe has been carried out.

Have I misunderstood all along that MEPs are there to represent European citizens? The ratification of CETA is due to happen in early 2017.

This gives us a little time to inform ourselves properly on the issue and, in Ireland, to protect our €10bn agri-food exports before it is too late.

Matt Dempsey’s article of 12 November refers to the ‘limited impact’ of CETA on agriculture in Ireland. I wish this were the case but have serious doubts.