Minister for Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has said that Common Agricultural Policy reform and Brexit will make the coming times challenging for the agricultural sector.
He said that farmers will have to become more efficient and more effective in how they farm if the national herd numbers are to be protected.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr McConalogue said that the trajectory towards sustainability and climate change objectives is clear and the farming community "is up for that".
This will require Irish farmers to reduce carbon emissions in line with European and domestic targets for the sector, he said.
Mr McConalogue said he is not looking to go towards reducing the national herd, but farmers need to make significant progress on an annual basis to meet climate change objectives.
He said that he will be working hard to protect farm incomes under the next CAP programme, which will be introduced after a period of transition at the end of 2021 and will run until 2028.
He said that "farmers need to be rewarded and paid for actions they are taking" so incomes need to be at heart of considerations under the new structures of CAP.
Farmers will need to look to more sustainable ways to farm and continue to deliver on sustainable food targets, he said, by working in partnership and adapting to new environmental schemes and by adopting new efficiencies and inputs.
The Donegal TD was appointed last week as replacement for Dara Calleary, who resigned last month over the Clifden golf dinner controversy.
Mr McConalogue said that he is engaging with his department and farming stakeholders in relation to the transition arrangements for next year, so that as farmers come out of existing schemes under the old CAP scheme, the delivery of income is secure under a rollover scheme.
He said it is his objective to see how to continue these schemes during the period of transition, which will be continue to be funded by Europe.
He said he will also be pushing very hard in the budgetary process with the Government to get more funding for farmers.
Mr McConalogue said that he welcomes that the new draft CAP agreement will guarantee each farmer is at a minimum of 75% of the national average payment under pillar one supports.
He said a wider decision about whether that will go further will be discussed with farming representatives.
The pillar one supports also include a mandatory eco-scheme which will bring an additional income support, he said.
