The body in charge of developing Northern Ireland's (NI) livestock sector said greater certainty is required on what will happen in the wake of Brexit. The LMC has published its view on Brexit in a new report.

The report considers the impact of moving to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariff structure, free access to the UK and a trade deal arrangement.

It estimates that output would fall 21% under free access.

Under WTO there would be short-term gain for beef but they conclude increased prices would lead to declining consumption.

Five years

The report produces a series of recommendations, the most notable being the call for a five-year transition arrangement for leaving the EU. This is three years longer than Theresa May suggested in her Florence speech on Friday, though in line with what the UK Treasury preferred according to press reports at the weekend.

Other recommendations include setting up an agri-food workers scheme post-Brexit to staff factories and developing a long-term food strategy.

The report also recommends keeping EU Official Controls of animals and meat products at slaughter houses, meat plants and collection centres for live cattle within the UK and Republic of Ireland to permit frictionless cross-border trade.

The LMC report was carried out by Anderson Consulting assisted by Oxford Economics

Analysis: small comfort for farmers in Florence Brexit speech

Northern Ireland beef body calls for five-year Brexit

The Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) has released a report on the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland's beef and sheep meat industries.