The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) is to meet with the UK Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Andrea Leadsom on Tuesday in the House of Commons.

This will mark the first meeting of an Irish farm organisation with the UK farming minister.

ICSA president Patrick Kent said the organisation is “determined to ensure that Irish farming interests are well understood at all stages of Brexit negotiations and that these are kept to the fore on both the UK and EU sides of the table”.

“Agriculture ties between the UK and Ireland are deeply embedded. The ICSA will be making the case that it is in the interests of both Irish and UK farmers to have an EU/UK trade deal which minimises tariffs and other barriers.

“There is a commonality of interests here which needs to be recognised and protected.”

Protecting markets

The UK is Ireland’s largest market for food and drink, with exports of beef alone amounting to almost €1.2bn in 2016.

“At least 50% of our beef currently goes to the UK and a road map for how this market can be protected needs to be established.”

The ICSA previously met with EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier last September in France to outline the concerns of the sectors ahead of Britain exiting the EU.

The meeting with secretary Leadsom and minister of state George Eustice is part of a coalition of British, Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Irish farming organisations Fairness for Farmers in Europe.

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