“There is an extraordinary amount of goodwill towards Macra across the agri-industry, and from the other farm organisations, says Denis Duggan “That goodwill is a wonderful resource to be built upon.”

Denis Duggan became Macra chief executive officer in October, and says everything he has seen since succeeding Edmund Connolly has only convinced him more of the “untapped potential” of the organisation.

Macra currently has around 9,000 in 200 clubs around the country. “I’d love to be talking to you in a couple of years and saying we have 12,000 members. We must be ambitious – the more members, the more vibrant our activities are. The events calendar is very full and busy.” Around half the membership are farmers, with a gender balance of 60-40 men to women. “We’d love to get to 50-50,” Duggan remarks.

Macra is reaching out to former members through a patron member scheme.

“It’s like the alumni that universities have for former students” says Duggan. The comparison is valid, as Macra is often described as a rural “open university”, with graduates like IFA president Joe Healy and Glanbia chair Henry Corbally prominent in Irish life.

“Active involvement, active citizenship is at the heart of what Macra does, whether through competitions like public speaking or drama, or involvement in the organisational side, providing leadership skills and life training”.

Macra is currently engaged in developing a strategic plan. “There are phenomenal challenges for the organisation, no doubt, and it’s true for all organisations that you must sometimes step back, assess your relevance and map out your direction,” Duggan explains.

“We’ve appointed consultants to assist us, and we are reaching out to our members, and beyond to all the organisations we interact with.”

Training and development was a founding principle of Macra in 1944, and it is one that has evolved, but is still very present today,” Duggan says. “Farmers need ongoing professional development, and through our Skillnets programme we are offering that opportunity to them – be it hoof-paring or AI.”

Review

“The key for young farmers is access - particularly access to land,” he says. In that regard, Duggan believes that Macra’s land mobility service has been a crucial initiative.

“In its three-year existence, we have established 500 clients in the three areas in conjunction with Dairygold, Aurivo, and Glanbia. FBD trust are committed to the project again for 2017.There is very little like our initiative in Europe, we are told in Brussels, so it’s good that we are leading change. We want to build it into a national service.”

Access to finance is another huge issue.

Speaking of Brussels, Macra spearheaded the drive to ensure recognition for young farmers in the last CAP through the top-up. The next review process is now beginning.

“We are getting a fair hearing on the issues surrounding young farmers, both in Dublin and in Europe where having an Irish Commissioner is an advantage, but the battle starts now to ensure the next CAP is focused on ensuring the continuing introduction of fresh blood into farming”.

Always looking forward.