The State's two main farming organisations are divided over a proposal to grant-aid beef-producing herds.
The issue is to be raised at the next meeting of the national partnership talks on September 4th by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA), which believes that the scheme may discriminate against dairy farmers.
The IFA's spokesman on beef, John Bryan, said that he welcomed a scheme which could deliver over €300 million to the State's 65,000 beef farmers.
However, the proposed scheme was criticised by ICMSA president Jackie Cahill, who said that such a scheme could be unfair to dairy farmers.