The Irish Beef and Lamb Association (IBLA) has claimed that without an independent meat regulator issues within the food supply chain will continue.

The group noted that the "economic loss at farm gate level" being experienced by pig and poultry producers and been "continually endured by other farm enterprises" across the country.

In a statement, IBLA said: "We have to question the current farming business models and particularly the lack of regulation in the entire meat industry."

IBLA warned that these farm businesses cannot continue to function properly and pay their overheads.

"We, as Irish farmers, feed approximately 45 million people worldwide. These 45 million people are supplied with food at a price that is discounted by retailers so that more consumers will enter shops, yet retailers can still remain profitable," it added.

IBLA called for the food supply chain to be rebalanced urgently in order to protect farmers as "the price returned to Irish producers is no longer sustainable".

The group explained that as 90% of produce is exported the local retailer price point is not going to fix the problem.

IBLA believes that the proposed powers of the new National Food Ombudsman will "not go far enough to bring about the long awaited change that is needed to protect all primary producers now and in to the future".

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue is hoping to have the office up and running before the end of the year.

However, IBLA claimed that the new office "is a minimalist approach and simply a name change from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)".

"An independent meat regulator, that is properly equipped, can bring about transparency in the supply chain," the group concluded.