The employers' body, IBEC, has said that the food and drink industry is the country's most important manufacturing industry.
It says the industry employs 46,000 people directly and accounts for more than 8% of economic activity.
In a report, IBEC says the Government should pursue a trade policy which takes full account of its importance.
The report claims that the sector is facing enormous challenges at producer, processor and consumer levels.
Among the difficulties are the increase in compliance costs; the growing buying power of multiple food retailers and the need for increased scale.
The industry is demanding an analysis of the true cost of regulation - including the benefits of alternative voluntary codes.
It wants an urgent improvement of poor transport and infrastructure, better alignment between the education and food sectors and a programme to develop more world class Irish companies.
The food industry also wants a ban on predatory pricing by retailers.
It calls on the Government to help with company restructuring and new technologies, and recognition by policymakers of the importance of the domestic marketplace to all Irish food and drink companies.
Finally, the report says it is vital that there is a single co-ordinated focus at Government level on the food and drinks sector. At present responsibility is spread over three Government departments - Agriculture, Enterprise, and Health.
