The election yesterday of Mr Tom Parlon, a 44-year-old Co Offaly farmer, as president of the Irish Farmers' Association heralds a new phase in the history of the association. His election by a huge majority over his rival, the outgoing deputy president, Mr Michael Slattery, made Mr Parlon the first ever non-dairy farmer to hold the position.
His election is highly significant, as it may signal a break in the control of the dairy sector of Ireland's largest and most vocal farm organisation.
The margin of his victory (he won the votes of 721 branches, compared to 204 for his rival) signals a new mood in the farming community.
Mr Parlon won a majority in every county in the Republic except Mr Slattery's native south Tipperary and the two contestants tied the Sligo vote in a contest which saw the highest-ever turnout in an IFA election.
Following his victory, Mr Parlon said he had yet to interpret what the voters were saying to him, because Mr Slattery, who is a very popular figure in the IFA, was a formidable candidate.
He maintained that his election in no way reflected on the esteem in which Mr Slattery was held in IFA circles and said he was "almost sorry" at the size of the vote.
Mr Parlon said he had been given a "massive mandate" by farmers to do what had to be done in a time of crisis and he would do what had to be done.
Speaking to journalists after his election, he said he was aware of a change in the temperature of the farming community and knew there were challenging times ahead.
"The perception that all farmers are rich and do not pay their taxes, held by the general public, the media and the Department of Agriculture, is something I intend to address", he said.
Mr Parlon said the prices being paid to farmers for beef, sheep and other commodities were also high on his agenda, and he would put forward his plans in January.
He did not know if farmers wanted a more militant approach to the problems they were currently facing, but he would find that out soon enough.
There was something of a surprise also in the farmers' choice of Mr John Dillon as deputy president of the association. He comprehensively defeated Mr Richard Booth, an established figure in the IFA, for the No 2 position.
Mr Dillon, from Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, has a 120-acre farm and is not involved in the dairy business, but raises suckler cows and sheep. He has had a number of differences with the IFA establishment and came to prominence only a few years ago when elected Munster vice-president of the association.