Speaking after the announcement, Seán Finan said: “I’m delighted to be re-elected as a CEJA vice-president for the next two years. As young farmers, we face many challenges in the short term which will determine our future farming careers including Brexit, Mercosur, climate change and CAP reform.”

Lobbying

“I look forward to working with the CEJA president Jannes Maas and fellow vice-presidents at an EU level as we lobby and advocate on young farmer issues.”

He continued: “CAP needs to support young farmers through progressive targeted supports which are adequately funded to deliver on the ambition set out by CEJA and the European Commission regarding generational renewal.

“The CAP budget needs to be maintained or enhanced and in CEJA we will continue to lobby for that.

“We cannot be sold-out by the EU in a bad Mercosur deal which will be detrimental to Irish and EU young beef farmers in times of huge uncertainty with Brexit,” Finan said.

Irish farmers

Macra na Feirme president Thomas Duffy said: “We are very glad to congratulate Seán Finan and see him re-elected as a CEJA vice-president. Seán has done a wonderful job as CEJA vice-president over the last two years. We wish him the best of luck for the next two years and know he’ll continue doing great work for Irish young farmers at a European level.”