IT IS 'essential' that free trade is maintained between the United Kingdom and the European Union post-Brexit, particularly at the border between Northern and Southern Ireland, UK livestock sector leaders have warned.

Meeting in Belfast to discuss Brexit and its implications for their future trading arrangements, representatives from all of the UK's farming unions – plus Eire's Irish Farmers’ Association – said that the vote to leave the EU had "brought into focus" the interconnectedness of the cattle and sheep sectors in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

NFU Scotland’s livestock committee chairman Charlie Adam said: “Our countries have strong trade links for both livestock and red meat products and it will be essential we have a free trade agreement in order to secure a healthy future for these vulnerable sectors.”

Existing trade links between the UK and ROI were well established and played a vital role in each economy, noted Mr Adam, who advised politicians to take this into consideration during Brexit negotiations, and that in particular, securing a 'soft' border between Northern Ireland and the ROI should be made a priority.

“Nearly 40% of the UK’s beef exports go to ROI while 50% of Irish beef exports are marketed in the UK. In terms of sheep, the fact that over 40% of Northern Ireland’s lambs are processed in the Republic of Ireland and 90% of the UK’s lamb exports are destined for the European market show that there is a lot hanging on achieving a progressive free trade arrangement.”

The farm unions also highlighted that to achieve favourable trading conditions between the UK and EU post-Brexit, there had to be the continuation of equivalent standards for agricultural practices and processing.

“The existing standards that are in place will give us a solid foundation to work from and help ease the negotiating process," said Mr Adam. "The UK and Irish farming unions are committed to finding practical solutions that allow for the harmonious trade of livestock and red meat products between the UK and the EU to continue post-Brexit."

NFU Scotland’s livestock policy manager John Armour, who also attended the meeting, added: “In securing the future of established trade links, politicians must ensure that the UK does not enter in to free trade agreements with third countries which produce beef and lamb to low standards. The integrity of the current market must be protected.”

However, while mainstream UK agriculture has been busy lobbying for the deal that it would like to see post-Brexit, Scotland's crofters have expressed concern that their specific needs will be forgotten in the scramble to make sense of life outside the EU.

Issuing the Scottish Crofting Federation's own pre-election wishlist, SCF chair Russell Smith said: “We are worried that crofting will be further consumed into general commercial agriculture when crofting is clearly distinct; it has its own benefits to offer and its own constraints to contend with.

“An election is an opportunity to take stock and think about the policies that we want and the proposals of the contesting parties, and I have therefore written to the party leaders asking them what their intentions are for Scottish agriculture and rural development, and specifically for crofting," said Mr Smith.

“We cannot afford to be complacent and think that ‘what will be will be’," he stressed. "Crofters have to stand up as one voice and make the parties aware so that crofting-friendly commitments are included in party manifestos.”

For in-depth news and views on Scottish agriculture, see this Friday’s issue of The Scottish Farmer or visit www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk