Up to 2,000 people attended a meeting in Cork last night to address farmers' concerns over the renewal of Ireland's nitrates derogation.
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) hosted the event in Corrin Mart in Fermoy.
Due to the high numbers attending, a number of screens showing the meeting were set up in other rooms at the mart to allow everyone to view proceedings.
The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon addressed the crowd and answered questions from farmers, many of whom expressed concern about the future of young farmers in the event of the derogation not being renewed.
Minister Heydon said he is "standing with farmers", adding he was "empowered" by the turnout.
Josephine O'Neill, President of Macra (the group representing young farmers), said her members are being "betrayed".
In what the IFA called a "show of strength from across the sector", a number of farmers drove their tractors to the meeting, parking them directly outside the entrance with posters on them with messages such as 'No Farmers! No Food! No Future!'.
The meeting follows the European Commission telling the Government that in order for Ireland to retain a nitrates derogation from next year it must demonstrate efforts to conserve designated sites or species under the EU's Habitats Directive.
Previously the Commission traditionally just sought evidence of progress in relation to water quality.
Under the Nitrates Directive, farmers have to ensure that the total amount of nitrogen from organic manure applied to their land does not exceed 170kg per hectare per year.
However, due to the country's unique grass-fed farming model Ireland has a derogation allowing use of up to 250kg for some farmers.
The current nitrates derogation expires at the end of the year, with the EU set to vote on new limits for 2026-2029.
Ireland is the only remaining EU country seeking a derogation.
The IFA gathering in Fermoy comes as EU Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall is due to visit Ireland later this week, as the Government lobbies Brussels to maintain the nitrates derogation.
On Friday, Ms Roswall will visit a farm availing of the derogation and will also meet with the Minister for Agriculture.
