As the UK election campaign continues, it now seems inevitable that the UK will leave the EU on the basis of Boris Johnson’s deal that was approved by the House of Commons a few weeks ago. We will then be into the negotiations on the future trade deal and other arrangements.

The key question of course for Ireland is what Britain’s future agriculture and food policy will look like.

Behind the scenes, there is in fact intense examination of the various options.

One of the most interesting suggestions to come up is that domestic food production from British farmland could be regarded as a 'public good'

It is important to remember that the former environment and agriculture minister, Michael Gove, is now in charge of overseeing the completion of the Brexit process and he is also deeply involved in overseeing the debate on what the UK’s future farm and food policy should look like.

One of the most interesting suggestions to come up is that domestic food production from British farmland could be regarded as a “public good”.

Up to now, we have been used to regard public good policies as encouraging biodiversity, preserving hedgerows and keeping the countryside tidy.

Having the concept apply to domestic food production would be an entirely new approach.

The attitude is likely to be that UK tillage farmers should be able to look after themselves at world market prices

Michael Gove, as DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) minister, made it very clear that he saw the UK’s hill farmers and surprisingly, its dairy farmers, as deserving of support.

The attitude is likely to be that UK tillage farmers should be able to look after themselves at world market prices, with a more open approach to new technologies such as gene editing and a probable unwillingness to ban useful agri chemicals as fully as Brussels does.

From an Irish point of view, what is not clear is what attitude will be applied to imports, especially of beef and dairy products. If a post-EU membership British government wants to at least maintain the present 60% self-sufficiency in food, or even perhaps expand it, then some extra funding of domestic UK food production is going to be necessary.

We may find that UK meat and dairy market prices drop and Irish exports be disadvantaged regardless of what trade deals are done with the US and South American countries.

Will China assume the importance in beef that it has in Irish dairy products and pigmeat in time to prevent wrenching change here in Ireland?

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