Mr John Dillon of the Irish Farmers Association yesterday pledged to ensure fair treatment for migrant workers on Irish farms.
Mr Dillon made his remarks at the launch of a booklet, Equality and Migrant Workers on the Farm, in Co Kildare yesterday.
The booklet was published to mark Anti-Racist Workplace Week, which was a joint initiative with the Equality Authority and aims to enable farmers to promote equality effectively for migrant workers.
Mr Dillon said that the IFA had estimated there were over 6,000 migrants employed on farms, mainly in the horticulture sector. Many were from eastern European countries.
"They have played a vital role in helping farmers to maintain productivity in a context of labour shortages," said Mr Dillon, who added that many of the workers came in on student schemes.
"Cultural diversity is relatively new to Ireland and the farm environment provides the same challenges that exist to cultural integration as any other workplace," said Mr Dillon.
"By producing this book and being involved in Anti-Racist Workplace Week, IFA is highlighting the good examples of cultural integration that exist in the agri-sector and encouraging best practice in all farm businesses," he said.
The chief executive of the Equality Authority, Mr Niall Crowley, said the farming sector, no more than other sectors of the economy, faced the challenge of ensuring workplaces were non-discriminatory, took account of cultural diversity, and promoted full equality.
"As such I am delighted that the IFA has taken a lead role with the other social partners in supporting workplaces that were culturally diverse to be characterised by equality."
The launch took place on the McCarthy fruit farm at Sallins, Co Kildare, where Mr Gary McCarthy and his family employ over 20 migrant workers on a year-round basis.
Ms Inga Jakovela, a Latvian, said that she enjoyed working on the farm and living with the other staff in a house in Sallins.
Another guest worker, Mr Viktor Kylukay from Ukraine, said he too enjoyed the experience of working and living in Ireland.
"I have not experienced any racism and I feel no different and am treated no different than any of the rest of the people around here," he said.