Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal this morning before IFA’s Brexit event got underway, IFA President Joe Healy said that today is about getting the message across to Ireland’s politicians.

“Today is about getting the message across to our politicians, as the Brexit negotiations are about to commence, the need for the least possible disruption to the trading link between the EU and the UK.”

Healy said today that there are three issues that are crucial to the future of Irish farming; the value of the EU market being maintained, the EU market not being undermined by cheaper imports and also a strong fully-funded CAP post-Brexit.

Listen to "IFA president Joe Healy on Brexit" on Spreaker.

The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, is one of the headline speakers at today’s event and the IFA President has said that the Commissioner has been quite vocal since last June in relation to an EU-27 in negotiations with the UK.

“From an Irish point of view, we’re happy that it’s an Irish commissioner that’s in the agriculture portfolio leading into those negotiations, especially someone of Commissioner Hogan’s ability.

“I think there’s no doubt but he understands the issue and the importance of a good Brexit negotiation from a European agriculture point of view but more specifically from an Irish farmer’s point of view.”

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Listen: Brexit event is about getting the message to our politicians - Healy

In the region of 600 people are to attend today’s Irish Farmers Association (IFA) event in Goffs, Co Kildare, Brexit: the imperatives for Irish farmers and the agri-food sector.