IFA deputy president Ruaidhrí Deasy yesterday criticised Irish Rural Link, the largest rural development group in the country, for suggesting that farming was a spent force and should no longer hold the monopoly on rural policy or funds of €700 million.
Irish Rural Link chief executive Séamus Boland said his group wanted to challenge the accepted view that agriculture is the dominant player in rural areas.
He said it had been shown by various studies and reports that farming was in decline, something which posed serious questions with regard to developing rural areas in the future.
Mr Boland went on: "Rural development policy, which has been seen as the preserve of the farmer especially by the farming organisations, needs to be designed and implemented for the benefit of the wider rural community, which obviously includes farmers but much more.
"Farming organisations and farmers are going to have to realise that they no longer hold a monopoly on rural policies and, for that matter, rural monies. That day is now coming to an end and perhaps not for the better, but it is a reality of today."
Mr Boland said this conference was about widening the debate on rural development, as well as exploring ways in which rural communities can play a bigger role in the development of rural areas that will see an improvement in the quality of life for all.
"For too long rural community groups and their needs have been bypassed by various policymakers, including farming bodies, and this is simply not acceptable especially in light of the need for balanced regional development that is often cited by government ministers."
Speaking from a prepared statement, Mr Deasy, who will challenge for the presidency of IFA later this year, said he rejected comments from Irish Rural Link that funding should be directed away from farmers after 2007.
He said such comments were simplistic and failed to recognise that agriculture was still the backbone of most rural areas, and its survival was interlinked to the sustainability of the wider rural community.
He also pointed out that in the European Commission proposals on rural development for 2007-13, it was clear that the bulk of the funds are targeted at measures which involve improving the competitiveness of agriculture and the agri-food industries.
"The current rural development measures are worth in excess of €700 million annually to Irish farmers and any attempt to tamper with this will have devastating effects on rural communities," Mr Deasy warned.