Congratulations to IFA livestock chair Angus Woods, who has just been elected vice-chair of the European Union’s civil dialogue group on animal products on behalf of the European umbrella farming organisation COPA.

Civil dialogue is one of the main avenues to lobby European officials on farming matters, with each of the 13 sectoral groups gathering industry and European Commission representatives a couple of times every year.

“We have many challenges facing our sectors: issues like the farm income situation, Brexit, trade deals and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP),” said Woods after his election. “I believe it’s important that all the stakeholders in our group get the opportunity to express their views on these major issues.”

The chair of the animal products group slipped from the hands of Irish farmers this year, with Paul Brand of the commodity traders’ organisation CELCAA securing the position.

Former IFA livestock chair Henry Burns had held the top job in the past two years since its creation in 2014 under the new CAP.

Read more

Macra secures six seats in Europe