More than 1,000 farmers from around the country packed into an emergency meeting of the IFA in Abbeyleix last Monday night to discuss the collapse in beef prices.
The IFA organised the meeting to address the concerns of many farmers who fear the complete collapse of beef prices this autumn. The situation is being exacerbated by the failure to reopen the Middle East and Libyan markets to the Irish live export trade.
The president of the IFA, Mr Tom Parlon, urged farmers to try to control the market by not sending cattle to factories that are short of 30 months old this autumn.
He said that while the ban on cattle over that age going to factories remained "it's critical to send only those animals that are close to 30 months to the factories now.
"We do not want to oversupply the market and take prices further down," he added.
Neither the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, nor Department representatives were present at Monday's meeting. Nor did representatives from the meat factories attend.
The farmers called on Mr Walsh to honour the support system which was promised following a meeting of the Council of Farm Ministers in Luxembourg last June.
IFA official Mr Sean Clarke said: "The cut in the beef premium system and the reduction in the number of animals that can be applied for under the beef premium led the Ministers last June to guarantee farmers a price support system this autumn.
"We are now calling on Minister Walsh to honour that agreement. Farmers feel helpless."