A special board meeting of Bord Bia has been convened for next Monday to discuss the ongoing dispute with farmers.
Bord Bia has said the occupation of its Dublin headquarters by members of the Irish Farmers' Association "represents the most significant breakdown in relations with a core stakeholder group" in the State agency's 30-year history.
The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said there has been "extensive dialogue behind the scenes this week" adding that "while we would like a resolution to this, that cannot be at any cost or with preconditions".
Today marks a month since the start of the IFA's around-the-clock protest outside Bord Bia's offices, while some IFA members have maintained a sit-in protest inside the reception area of the building since 3 February.
The dispute began after it emerged last month that Bord Bia Chair Larry Murrin's company Dawn Farms has been importing Brazilian beef.
Farming organisations have called on Mr Murrin to step down over the issue - claiming it creates a conflict of interest for him given Bord Bia's role in promoting Irish food.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
In a statement, Bord Bia said it "remains fully and actively engaged in seeking a resolution, while managing the significant operational disruption caused by the dispute".
It said 140 of its employees have had to work from home since IFA protesters occupied its office building over three weeks ago, while private security has been hired to manage the building on a 24-hour basis.
The State agency added that "multiple meetings" with international customers have had to be postponed, relocated or cancelled due to the protest.
The IFA has proposed a framework to resolve the dispute, which includes reviews of Bord Bia's board membership eligibility and the agency's various quality assurance schemes.
It called for Mr Murrin to step aside for the duration of the review period, however, Minister Heydon is not expected to agree to this.
In the past week, the IFA held public meetings across the country to discuss issues regarding the dispute.
The gatherings in Claremorris in Co Mayo, Athy in Co Kildare, and Co Cavan were attended by a total of more than 2,000 people, according to the farming group.
On Saturday, the IFA said it will stage a protest outside Minister Heydon's constituency office in Newbridge in Co Kildare "to drive home the message that the chair of Bord Bia has to step down".
It said the protest "will include tractors and machinery and farmers on foot".
IFA President Francie Gorman said a proposal for the protest "emerged from last night's meeting in Athy, which was attended by over 800 farmers".
"The overriding view at the meeting was that Minister Heydon is dragging his feet and doesn't seem to understand the deep frustration that exists across the farming community," he said.
The Government has given Mr Murrin its full backing, saying he has done nothing wrong despite calls from Opposition parties for him to be removed from his position over the issue.
Earlier this month, Mr Murrin defended his company's use of Brazilian beef in front of the Agriculture Committee.
He said a requirement of Dawn Farms' contracts to supply cooked meats to international brands involves demonstrating an ability to source "beef or any other raw material from different sources" that can be used in the event of a supply disruption anywhere in Europe.
