The main farming organisations failed to attend the inaugural meeting of the Rural Think Tank which took place in Cavan on Monday.
The event, organised by the Irish Rural Link organisation with the support of the Carnegie Trust Rural Commission, was set up to provide new thinking and vision for rural Ireland.
While academics, environmentalists, trade unionists and a broad range of rural and community development representatives took part, the farming bodies failed to attend.
Dr Pat O'Hara, of the Western Development Commission, highlighted the huge potential of rural areas in terms of their attractiveness as a place to live. She also spoke of achieving proper regional balance so that rural communities were not disadvantaged in terms of access to jobs, healthcare and education.
Prof Jim Phelan, of University College Dublin, said Ireland was 300 per cent self-sufficient in dairying and beef and hugely dependent on an export market. The challenge facing farmers and the agricultural industry would be to establish alternative markets not catered for at present.
Dr Eileen Humphries, of Tipperary Institute, said the social structures of rural areas were threatened by the trend towards a greater dependency on commuting to work.