ICOS: US is 'an extremely important market for Irish dairy farmers'
The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has made a formal submission to the European Commission in relation to its proposed countermeasures on US imports urging them not to "leverage" food products in the dispute.
Following a request for feedback on the products included in the EU list of countermeasures, ICOS has called on the European Commission to "de-escalate" trade tensions with the US.
ICOS president Edward Carr said today (Tuesday, March 25) that the society recognises that the EU "is placed in a very difficult situation" and that US tariff policy is causing significant concern and uncertainty.
"Fundamentally, we strongly oppose the inclusion of all food including dairy products, as part of the suite of EU countermeasures as a matter of principle.
"The inclusion of food products as trade countermeasures will have negative consequences for both the EU and US, leading to higher food prices and reduced availability for consumers," Carr stated.
According to Carr the US is an "extremely important market" for Irish dairy farmers and the co-operative sector.
"The value of Irish dairy exports to the US was over €830 million in 2024.
"High value butter and cheese exports are the key drivers of Irish dairy exports to the US, as well as dairy powder ingredients and other products.
"It is vital that countermeasures introduced by the EU should be targeted, proportionate and avoid unintended consequences for farmers and their co-operatives," he warned.
ICOS has warned that the trade policies of the US administration are creating significant uncertainty for global trade and that it is "deeply concerned with the possibility of additional US tariffs".
But its president firmly believes that protectionist trade policies will "ultimately prove to be counterproductive".
"We urge the EU in its engagement with the US administration to prioritise constructive dialogue and to avoid unnecessary escalation," Carr said.
Speaking in Brussels yesterday the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said that Ireland is “really disappointed with the actions of the US administration with the introduction of tariffs".
Minister Heydon said that the Irish government believes that a “close working relationship between the EU and the US is in everyone’s interests”.
“Tariffs and trade barriers only hurt both of our peoples so we will be engaging across with our European counterparts on all levels to make sure that we have the best possible approach and response as EU nations,” he added.
