IFA president, Mr Padraig Walshe warned that farmer incomes would be devastated should the EU accept a poor trade agreement.

Mr Walshe predicted that beef prices could fall to less than €2/kg and milk to 24c/l if proposals currently under consideration at the WTO round were to form the basis for a deal.

He insisted that the IFA's fears regarding the WTO negotiations were supported by both agri-business leaders and the trade unions, and he called on the Government to lead opposition to the current trade proposals at EU level.

"The hit on Ireland would be at least €2bn per year, with the loss of our suckler cow herd and thousands of jobs in the meat industry and on the supply side," maintained Mr Walshe.

An IFA delegation, which met with the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and the Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan last Thursday to voice their concern regarding the WTO negotiations, was joined by Mr Larry Goodman of AIBP and deputy managing director of Glanbia, Mr Jeff Meagher.

 It is understood that both Mr Goodman and Mr Meagher outlined the serious implications for the dairy and beef industries should greater access to EU markets be granted under any new WTO agreement.

The agri-sector delegation told the Minister for Agriculture and Taoiseach that up to 50,000 jobs had been put in danger by the concessions already made by the EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

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