A former director of Teagasc, Dr Liam Downey, has been accused of making "glib and superficial observations"over his claim that the west will become an agricultural wasteland within 15 years.
The former Teagasc and Erad (the elimination of animal disease board) director was accused of conveying the impression that part-time farmers were "somewhat lesser beings" by the chief executive of the west's leading co-operative, Aaron Forde, of Connacht Gold.
Describing the remarks as "glib and superficial", Mr Forde said that academic, "top-of-the-head" analysis made no meaningful contribution to the task of building a viable, market-driven agriculture and food industry.
"While the structure of farming will continue to evolve, there is no basis for Dr Downey's doomsday scenario that farming in the west faces extinction," said Mr Forde.