The IFA rural development committee has elected a new chair to take over from Joe Brady.
Michael Biggins from Co Mayo will take up his new position at the IFA annual general meeting on Monday 27 January.
Biggins is a suckler beef farmer from Glencorrib and has been involved in the IFA for over 20 years. The farmer has served as Mayo county chair, vice-chair of the livestock committee, the chair of south Mayo LEADER and other community groups.
He said the challenges facing rural Ireland are immense and he outlined the need for a “strongly-funded” CAP.
The new chair’s key priorities are:
He called on the next minister for agriculture and the new EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janus Wojciechowski to stand up and “fearlessly defend” the Irish and European family farm model.
After the election, Biggins thanked Joe Brady for his work, in particular for the protection of the ANC scheme in the EU-wide review.