With cabinet positions due to be announced this week, Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman has said that the new government must address the "disconnect" with farmers.

He said that while the new Programme for Government announced last week reflects the efforts for change made, it is "short in terms of financial specifics".

"I think it's very important that the government sits down and discusses the important issues of the day with farmers. Because there is a disconnect between people who are creating policy and how its operated on the ground," Gorman said.

The IFA celebrates 70 years since its founding this year and the president said that challenges have changed, with more regulations put on farmers now.

The IFA was founded on January 6, 1955, when it was known as the National Farmers’ Association (NFA), and now prides itself as being "the country’s largest representative organisation for farmers and primary food producers".

Gorman told Agriland that despite changes, the role of the association now is "every bit as important" compared to when it was first founded.

"This association has been built on the people who went before us and the people who took the hard yards, and it's our job to try and make sure we can follow in their footsteps and keep doing the job on the founding principals of the association," Gorman said.

Gorman said that the status of the nitrates derogation is one of the biggest current issues for Irish farmers, along with the nature restoration law, the ongoing involvement of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) negotiations, and the costs of doing business.

He said that how regulation impacts the cost of doing business is something that "has to be addressed" by the next government.

Another main issue listed by Gorman was the lack of focus on generational renewal, with currently only 4.3% of farm holders aged 35 and under.

"I keep making the point that if we don't have the next generation of farmers coming to replace the likes of myself, we're not going to have an industry.

"The way to support the next generation of farmers is two fold. You need incentives there to bring them in, you need incentives for people to hand over, but you have to support the current generation of farmers as well because if you don't have something to hand over there is no point in putting incentives in place," Gorman said.

Gorman said that the IFA will continue to work with the Commission on Generational Renewal set up by outgoing minister for agriculture Charlie McConalogue to help young farmers.

Gorman spoke to Agriland at the Bord Bia Meat Marketing Seminar, where he argued against the Mercosur trade deal and explained the varied standards Mercosur countries have compared to Irish food regulations.

The IFA president said that he will be raising issues around the deal with the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen during his visit this week.

The commissioner will attend the IFA's AGM on Thursday (January 23), and is expected to give a speech. It will mark one of his first official visits to a member state since he was appointed.

The general meeting will run over two days, beginning this Wednesday (January 22) in the farm centre, Co.Dublin.

Annually, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine would pay a visit to the farm centre during the AGM, however with cabinet due to be formed on Wednesday, it is uncertain who will be in attendance from the new government.