Browne told the IFA’s Brexit event in Kill, Co Kildare on Monday that Britain imports 35% of its beef and “53% of what British shoppers buy on the retail shelves is mince”.

“The rules in Britain under the Food Standards Agency is that product must be minced fresh within eight days of slaughter,” he explained. “To think that third countries are going to be able to logistically ship over product and get it minced within eight days, that’s not going to happen realistically.”

That would create food spoilage issues, they would have to reduce the shelf life, there would be food safety issues as well

The UK could change its regulation to allow mincing up to 30 or 60 days after slaughter to facilitate beef imports from suppliers in remote regions such as South America, but Browne said that there would be arguments against that: “That would create food spoilage issues, they would have to reduce the shelf life, there would be food safety issues as well.”

Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy pointed out that third countries could still compete for higher-price steak cuts.

According to Browne, the relative protection offered by UK mince regulations does not remove the need for a free trade agreement between the EU and the UK with “no change, no barriers, no tariffs, no quotas”.

“If there is a free trade agreement with Ireland or with Europe, we will be able to export our products as now,” he said.

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