Following inspection from US officials into Irelands production systems, the US allowed imports of beef to resume which is set to be worth at least £19.6m ($25m) – a significant sum considering the country has less than five million people.

Whilst a ban of imported beef from the EU was lifted in March 2014, inspections to meet stringent US requirements were necessary before any beef could be exported there.

However, this significant opening of a market to Irish producers could prove particularly lucrative for the Irish beef trade.

In the UK, DEFRA reckoned it expected exports, worth a similar amount, to resume shortly.

Tom Fullick, NFU livestock advisor said: "We had our American colleagues over in late 2014 to look at equivalence with British abattoirs, which was a matter of months behind the Irish.

"Given that their abattoirs are very similar to ours I'd expect us to be approved sometime in the near future, within the first quarter."

He added: "When we get access the fact that we export to the US sends a very strong message to other potential markets."