A stout defence of the EU Common Agriculture Policy is very much in the national interest. Irish farmers contribute significantly to the wealth of this State and their economic wellbeing affects us all.
In those circumstances, the Taoiseach was perfectly correct in sending a message to his "good friend, Tony Blair" that a further renegotiation of the Cap was out of the question.
EU farm subsidies and production levels are currently being restructured under a system of "decoupling" agreed in 2003. And the process will not be completed until 2013.
The question of renegotiating the Cap emerged earlier this year when French president Jacques Chirac sought to end the special rebate that Britain receives from the EU. And, in the raw political climate that has developed between the two leaders in the aftermath of the Iraq war, Mr Blair said renegotiation of the rebate would only be acceptable in the context of further Cap reforms. France is the main supporter - and beneficiary - of the Cap and such a development would be anathema to it. And because Britain holds the presidency of the EU at the moment, a stalemate has developed.
At face value, it would appear to be something of a phoney war. But serious issues are involved. In moving to protect British interests and the special rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher, Mr Blair is undermining the social contract with European farmers. Security of food supplies and support for small farmers have been long-established objectives of farm policy. Their pursuit, through subsidies, brought serious over-production in the past. But Cap reforms, along with enlargement of the EU, are expected to rectify that situation.
A secure food supply is a vital EU interest. So is a requirement to protect the fabric of rural life. But that does not mean closing our food markets to developing countries. The way forward for Irish agriculture has to be through the production of higher quality meats and much greater innovation within the dairy industry.
Current Cap reforms will mean a fall in cattle and sheep numbers as production subsidies are phased out. It is a challenging time for larger farmers and for agribusiness. Ireland is a major food exporter. Because of that, it is particularly important that when tariffs are agreed under the World Trade Organisation, farming organisations do not engage in the boycott of imports and prevent consumers from exercising their right to choose.
In the past, Irish agriculture became overly dependent on production subsidies and intervention storage. Farm leaders must now prepare their members for a new and more competitive world.