The Beef Plan Movement is to hold elections for all positions within the group in the coming weeks.

Hugh Doyle, co-chair of the Beef Plan Movement, told the Irish Farmers Journal that the group is formalising its rules and governance, with the aim to have it signed off on early next week. After this is completed, elections are to take place.

The intention is that once new chairs are elected, the old chairs will step down

Elections are to take place for the co-chair positions of the group, the role of treasurer, regional chair roles and county chair positions.

“The intention is that once new chairs are elected, the old chairs will step down,” he said.

New committee members, including county chairs and any representatives at county level, will have to sign up to the rules, “otherwise people will not be held to account,” he said.

After the elections are held, there is to be an AGM in January, when the national and county boards will be looked at, along with the price of membership.

Register

Only paid-up members will be able to vote, Doyle said, adding that every member will be assigned a membership number and once that number is used at a county election, it is then defunct.

Doyle said that there will be an “independent overseer” engaged by Beef Plan to verify the elections.

The date for the elections has not been set yet, with Doyle saying it will either be this side of Christmas or soon after.

Unity

He said that Beef Plan will be pushing for unity in the future, not for farm organisations to amalgamate, but that they would all meet once or twice a month with the aim of having a singular focus in one strong voice.

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