The former Fine Gael leader Mr Alan Dukes is to chair a high-level group to plot the way forward for the agriculture and food sector to the year 2015.
Its primary objective will be to review the Agri-Food 2010 report published three years ago but overtaken by the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) last year.
The appointment of the group was one of two major developments announced to help Ireland cope with the changes expected from decoupling production from direct payments.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, also announced an intensive Teagasc advisory programme to help farmers adapt to the radical changes in EU policy which come into effect in 2005.
Called the "Planning post-Fischler Programme", Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, will focus on providing export support to farmers and gearing production to market needs.
It will involve group discussions and individual advice in developing and implementing an action plan for each participating farmer.
Announcing that Mr Dukes had agreed to chair the high-level group, which will report to the Minister in September, Mr Walsh said major developments had taken place in the CAP and there were also the ongoing and far-reaching World Trade Organisation talks.
Mr Walsh said the group's main task would be to address the challenges arising from the changed environment. It would take submissions from all interested parties.
Teagasc director Mr Jim Flanagan said decoupling would force every farm family to fundamentally examine their production systems.
"The Planning post-Fischler programme brings together the full range of research, advisory and training expertise in Teagasc in ensuring that farm families receive the most effective support in confronting the challenges resulting from the transformation in EU policy," he said.
Mr Donal Carey, director of operations, Teagasc, said that in the new situation, many full-time farmers would need to increase their scale to maintain income.
"Other farmers will decide to draw their EU payments and maintain or reduce production levels. These also need a high level of support in order to ensure that their income is maintained," he said.
Mr Carey said the one in three farmers who were combining farming with an off-farm job were also a priority group.
He added that the programme would also guide farmers who are not capable of making a viable income from farming towards a supplementary enterprise or an off-farm job, to protect their future viability.
Members of the group
Mr Michael Behan, Irish Meat Association; Mr Donal Cashman, ICOS; Dr Noel Cawley, Irish Dairy Board; Mr John Dillon, IFA; Mr Michael Duffy, Bord Bia: Mr Jim Flanagan, Teagasc; Mr Dan Flinter, former chief executive, Enterprise Ireland; Ms Ailish Forde, RGDATA; Mr Thomas Honner, Macra na Feirme; Ms Mary Kelly, E.P.A; Prof Alan Matthews, TCD; Ms Lisa McAllister, Western Development Commission; Mr John Moloney, Glanbia; Mr Pat O'Rourke, ICMSA and Dr Pat Wall, UCD, formerly chief executive, Food Safety Authority