A CEJA working group took place in Brussels last week in Copa-Cogeca headquarters. Seán Finan and Edmond Connolly attended on behalf of Macra na Feirme.

The main focus of the group was to adopt the CEJA working programme 2016-2017.

CEJA’s main focus for 2016 is to discuss and develop a policy towards CAP 2020 with an emphasis on access to land, finance, the environment, risk management and market volatility tools. Macra stated that CAP needs to focus more on active farmers and look at issues around the five-year rule and to reward progressive and productive young farmers.

On Monday, the group attended a dinner hosted by Mairéad McGuinness, MEP. At the event, Mairéad chaired a debate on issues affecting young farmers. Seán spoke about issues affecting Irish young farmers.

Alternative support systems were discussed with contributions from the US, Canadian, Swedish and Australian missions to the EU.

Each presenter outlined agriculture in their country, plus the supports available to young farmers.

WR Shaw Queen of the Land committee elected

A new WR Shaw Queen of the Land committee was elected at the AGM on Friday 20 January.

The committee is as follows: president – Noel Duffy; chair – Gerard Mahon; vice-chair – Darren Buckley; treasurer – Enda Feighery; secretaries – Sarah Jane Egan and Deirdre Colgan; chief PRO – Angela Ryan; assistant PROs – Caitlin Rigney and Emma Leogue; escort co-ordinators – Tara Fourie and Maebh Dolan; committee members – Veronica Casey, Catherine Maher, David Fowler and Deirdre O’Rourke.

Best of luck to all in the coming year.