The 29-year -old, a member of the Athboy branch, is well known in Macra na Feirme circles, especially on the competitions front, where he has won seven national titles in Debating, Impromptu Debating, Capers, Dairy StockJudging and the Know your Ag Quiz.

Cassells is currently the National Competitions Chair of Macra na Feirme and also sits on the National Executive of the organisation.

A suckler farmer, he also works in the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Enfield.

The nomination process is expected to formally commence in late January or early February.

The elections are scheduled to take place in April next with the new president taking over the reins at Macra na Feirme’s AGM on May 9 2015.

The new president will take over from Kieran O’Dowd.