The dispute between Macra na Feirme, the young farmers' organisation, and the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) over a rule change which could see Macra presidents being removed from the national council of the IFA has deepened.
The president of Macra na Feirme, Mr Thomas Honner, had met the IFA president, Mr John Dillon, to try to resolve the difficulty which arose as a proposal in a document drawn up to reform the IFA.
However, the implementation of the report has been delayed because of the hospitalisation of Mr Dillon, who was injured in a farm accident a fortnight ago.
The report, commissioned by the IFA, was compiled by Mr Michael Dowling, former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture and Food. It proposed an overhaul of the governing council of the IFA.
The Dowling report proposed a slimming down of the entire IFA, and the setting up of a Young Farmers' Committee which angered Macra which traditionally represents young farmers.
In a letter published this week, Mr Honner said that in the last three weeks the IFA leadership had "put every possible spin on their proposal".
"We've heard that the new committee is for people leaving Macra; could be for people up to 50; won't have a lobbying role; won't comment publicly; can be implemented with Macra, etc."
He said a novel spin in a letter published in the Irish Farmers Journal a fortnight ago was that the committee was for farmers who saw themselves as being too old for Macra but too young for IFA.
"People can put whatever spin they like on it but the facts remain: the IFA leadership is proposing to remove the president of Macra from their national council, and set up their own young farmers' committee."