The Irish Farmer's Association executive council has approved a review of the structures and pay levels in the organisation.
Former IFA Chief Economist Con Lucey will head up the review, which will look at all aspects of the pay and expenses given to former General Secretary Pat Smith, President Eddie Downey and Vice-president Tim O'Leary.
It will then recommend actual levels of pay for the three roles, after it was revealed Mr Smith earned over €500,000 last year, with Mr Downey receiving almost €200,000.
It was confirmed this evening, according to the Farmers' Journal, that Mr Smith's severance package was worth €2m - a lump sum of €1m and €100,000 annually for 19 years.
Con Lucey says that trust needs to be restored to members - something these farmers agree with:
The Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, says he believes the review by Con Lucey is 'badly needed'.
Members of the organisation had expressed their extreme disappointment at the pay revelations, with these IFA council members saying they were shocked at the figures, and do not feel that a €2m package for Mr Smith is fair.
The acting president of the IFA said earlier the pension package for Mr Smith had not yet been agreed.
It was revealed last Friday that Mr Smith received a pay and pensions package of €535,000 in 2013.
IFA President Eddie Downey has stepped back from the role while the review is carried out.
Acting president Tim O'Leary says negotiations on a final package for Pat Smith are ongoing.
Speaking to Newstalk Lunchtime, Mr O'Leary stated that there has been "no finalised agreement reached on this package. It's governed by very strong labour law, we have duties to our employees here and we will be fair and just to to all bodies in this negotiation, this has to be a proper package".
While he stated that to his knowledge, no deal has been "agreed and signed and sealed", he refused to rule out the possibility that it could be as high as the figure quoted by the paper, saying instead that "these discussions are covered by confidentiality".
Meanwhile the Tánaiste has called on NGOs and union leaders to seriously consider revealing their levels of pay.
Yesterday Gerry Adams said salary details of public and lobby groups funded by the taxpayer or through membership fees "should be all out in the cold light of day".
