The Irish government needs to send out a clear signal around food security and growth, according to Macra na Feirme.

This evening (Tuesday, March 8) farming organisations, including Macra, will meet with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue.

During the meeting, the minister is expected to outline a government proposal to ask Irish farmers to grow more crops to offset food supply issues caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A “rapid response team” is also to be established within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to “actively monitor” the developing situation.

Macra president, John Keane stated that Irish farmers are best placed to meet demands of food security.

"Irish farmers have constantly addressed and met challenges in terms of food demand and security and the sustainability associated with that production," he added.

Ahead of this evening's meeting, Keane called on the government to send "a clear signal" around food security and growth for the future.

However, Keane explained that there are challenges for Irish farmers who want to address the issue of food security, including input costs; labour; land availability; knowledge transfer and education.

He said that the government will need to address these "barriers" and support farmers to meet the demand for food as it arises.

"It reinforces the point that Irish farmers, given the climate we are in, are best placed to grow safe sustainable food," the Macra president concluded.