Irish and British farmers join to protest Brexit

Irish and British farmers are united in their desire to avoid a ‘no deal’ Brexit and a hard border in Ireland.

The IFA president Joe Healy made this clear after meeting with the presidents of the National Farmers Union and the Ulster Farmers Union, Minette Batters and Ivor Ferguson, on the farm of Owen Martin in Newry, Co Down.

Mr Healy said that it was the view of the leaders that it would be devastating for farmers and very bad for consumers if the UK was to cut its standards and aim for a cheap food policy.

The IFA president said that the Irish government and the EU must immediately announce details of how farmers here will be supported if British prime minister Boris Johnson takes the UK out of the EU on October 31 without a deal.

“We are fast approaching the risk of a no-deal, cliff edge Brexit on October 31,” he said.

He warned that this would be catastrophic for farmers across the island of Ireland and in the UK.

Mr Healy said that the IFA has set out clearly in its pre-Budget submission what is needed to prevent the sector from such Armageddon.