Brexit threatens lucrative dairy live exports to Britain – Irish Examiner

Brexit has raised a number of obstacles for live exports from Ireland to England, Scotland and Wales.

Officials are working to help exporters under pressure now to supply the seasonal trade in dairy cows and in-calf Friesian heifers.

Since January 1, Brexit requirements for live animal exports to Great Britain include a residency period for cattle, sheep and pigs increased to 40 days on the farm of origin in Ireland.

Animals cannot pass through a market, and must be consigned directly from the holding of origin or through an assembly centre.

And various documents are now required for transport of live animals to or through Great Britain.

Operators require transporter authorisation, driver certificates, and vehicle approvals, for both jurisdictions.

Customs controls, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls now apply to live animals.

Department of Agriculture officials have been working to get as many vehicles approved as possible

According to a DAFM official, driver and vehicle approvals and transporter authorisations are causing considerable challenges.

Since Brexit, drivers qualifications are no longer recognised between Ireland and the UK.

We have negotiated a solution for that with the UK, which will recognise Irish drivers qualifications under the common travel area, said the official.

On the DAFM website, there is an email address to which a driver can apply with evidence of his or her qualification.

Regarding transporter approvals, the transporter must apply for approval in the UK. There are links to that information on the website as well.

Irish-approved vehicles now need UK approval for trips to Great Britain.

DAFM negotiations on this are ongoing with the EU Commission; the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland; and the UKs Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

According to the DAFM, transporters approved in Northern Ireland present another option, for travel between Northern Ireland and Britain.

The Brexit live export issues were raised at a recent Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture meeting, where the provision of improved lairage and handing facilities was raised, and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said this is a matter for the trade itself.

It is really important that live exporters work together and collaborate.

"I encourage them to continue to collaborate on ideas for developing facilitates.

He said his department continues to engage with the UK authorities on their exact import control requirements.

The UK has adopted a phased approach to introduction of controls, with further phases commencing on April 1 and July 1.

Upcoming UK import requirements from April 1 may require an additional 4,000 to 6,000 export certificates to be issued each week.

At the meeting, Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard warned of significant pressure on live exports of in-calf and calved heifers in the coming weeks.

He said there has been a great trade in beef and dairy in-calf heifers and breeding animals in the past few years to the UK, where farmers are trying to build up their herds to the same high genetic standard Ireland has at the moment.

He said another Brexit agri-food issue is import delays at ports, particularly of parts for farm equipment such as machinery or milking plants.

The usual turnaround time for a part could be one to three days, now it is seven to ten days at least.

"The irony is that many of these parts are being transported from Europe to the UK, and then to Ireland.

Read more:

Brexit threatens lucrative dairy live exports to Britain - Irish Examiner