At the association's Welsh conference, Mr Holden is expected to argue that "radical change" is needed to ensure farming in Wales has a future.

Test crops: A field of GM maize

Mr Holden has called for farmers to think again and change their practices.

"Most farmers do not like what they are doing, they have been forced to do so by policies and subsidies," he told the BBC.

"We must give them incentives to come up with higher quality systems.

"Food safety has never been higher on the agenda and if the industry addresses that, it will be serving its own interests too."

Mr Holden is also criticial of the role of farming unions' stance on mass slaughtering during the crisis, which he said had undermined public confidence.

The Soil Association advocates less intensive farming methods and diversification into systems such as organic farming.

Food safety has never been higher on the agenda

Patrick Holden, Soil Association director

Mr Jones has already held talks on ways to build a future for farming in Wales.

At the Soil Association conference on Friday, he is expected to emphasise the assembly's continued opposition to GM crop trials in Wales.

The minister received assembly backing to impose legally enforceable separation distances for GM maize to limit the impact on organic crops in the vicinity to GM trials.

Two trials in Pembrokeshire were abandoned and Flintshire farmer John Cottle has come under intense pressure to drop Wales's only GM trial at Sealand.

Mr Jones said: "The Assembly is not alone in expressing concerns over the unrestricted use of GM crops.

Carwyn Jones: Key speech against GM crops

"The Government's Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC) this week published a report, Crops on trial, which echoes the Assembly's concerns."

The meeting comes after a delegation of Powys farmers, union leaders and politicians met in London on Thursday with Lord Whitty, the minister dealing with the crisis.

The delegation urged action to help coordinate the recovery of farming in Wales's worst hit county.

Powys was dealt a blow earlier this week when UK agriculture minister Margaret Beckett decided against allowing the partial movement of animals in the county.