As 2018 draws to a close, The Dealer throws his eye over those who made the news during the year.

Michael Creed – Minister for Agriculture:

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed. \ Philip Doyle

The “minister for factories, not farmers”, as the IFA has called him, Michael Creed had another eventful year as the farming minister. Perhaps his most high-profile period occurred during the summer. At the peak of the drought, which was contributing to a fodder shortage for the 2018/2019 winter, Minister Creed was roundly blamed for failing to come forward with an adequate plan for struggling farmers. Finally he caved and encouraged the country’s tillage farmers to grow forage for their livestock brethren.

Kevin Toland – Aryzta:

Boy oh boy, to be the Aryzta boss in 2018. For years, Aryzta was the golden goose for shareholders, including many of the country’s co-ops. The share price of the bread company started 2018 trading at €33/share, with it hovering at just under the €1/share mark now. Kevin Toland, formerly of Glanbia, had to bite the bullet and seek an €800m cash call. Toland was forced to admit that the mergers and acquisitions binge carried out by the previous management had failed the business. That’s a lot of dough.

Imelda Walsh – Tipperary north IFA:

Imelda Walsh, chair of North Tipperary IFA. \ Philip Doyle

This is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without a woman. Imelda Walsh broke the grass ceiling and managed to take her seat on the IFA national council meeting in January. She is the first woman in five years to sit in the room as a county chair. Imelda blazed a trail with Elizabeth Ormiston from Cavan, Anne Mitchell from Galway and Erica O’Keeffe from the southern half of Tipperary joining her on the council.

Gabriel D’Arcy – LacPatrick Dairies:

Gabriel D'Arcy, former CEO of LacPatrick.

An interesting year for the former Bord na Móna boss. Gabriel D’Arcy brought his usual dynamism to the role of LacPatrick following his appointment in 2014 but come April, it looked like the one-time army captain was heading back to the trenches. The cross-border co-op was in financial dire straits and needed a merger with Lakeland Dairies. D’Arcy was, rightly or wrongly, held up as the villain of the piece and exited the co-op in August. He was the highest profile departure in 2018.

Eamon Corley – Beef Plan Movement:

Eamon Corley of the Beef Plan Movement.

A farm organisation that has been formed via a phone messaging service. That has to be one of the most modern and progressive developments in Irish agriculture. Eamon Corley and his Beef Plan Movement have signed up some 15,000 farmers through WhatsApp in attempt to build a body big enough to control the beef kill. The group has embarked on a nationwide tour of meetings in an attempt to enlist more farmers. The plan is ambitious. Can it be done?

Brendan Gleeson – Department of Agriculture:

Brendan Gleeson, secretary general of the Depertment of Agriculture, Food and Marine. \ Michael O'Rourke

There is a new man in the hot seat at the Department of Agriculture and that is Brendan Gleeson. Gleeson is a well-known Hollywood actor who has appeared in such hits as The Guard and Braveheart … oh wait, there’s another one? Anyway, Brendan Gleeson took over from Aidan O’Driscoll as the secretary general of the Department in 2018. An affable and capable operator, Gleeson is the right man for the job.

Anna-May and Anna-Marie McHugh – NPA:

Anna May McHugh of the NPA. \ Philip Doyle

It wasn’t a straightforward 2018 for the queens of the ploughing, Anna-May and her daughter Anna-Marie McHugh. For the first time since God was a child, the Ploughing had to call off proceedings as storm Ali did her worst. It took until midday on the Wednesday for Anna-May to call off the event that day, leaving thousands of punters upset. The McHughs ran the Ploughing on the Friday to make up for the cancellation but Ploughing 2018 will go down as one of their less successful ones.

Pat Deering – loose-lipped Carlow TD:

Pat Deering TD, chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. \ Finbarr O'Rourke

We’ll stay with the Ploughing and it is to Co Carlow TD Pat Deering that gaffe of the year goes to. Proving that all politics is local, Deering took it upon himself to announce that the 2019 Ploughing would be in his home county before the official announcement. Needless to say, the McHugh women were ripping that someone had stolen their thunder. After a few weeks of silence, Carlow was indeed announced as the location for the three-day event next year. Anyone for a #DeeringDelivers campaign?

Pat Smith – NOT the IFA:

Pat Smith, former secretary general of the IFA.

In February, Pat Smith and the IFA finally settled the legal action Smith brought against his former employers. The IFA confirmed that a settlement in the region of €1.9m was made to Smith. Smith was employed by the IFA for over 25 years and served as the general secretary for nearly seven years.

Chris Harmon, Brian Arnold, Pat Cleary, Simon Cross, Jim O’Regan and Michael Hoey – Beet Ireland:

Beet Ireland directors committee Michael Hoey, CEO, Chris Harmon, Pat Cleary, Jim O'Regan, Brian Arnold and Simon Cross, with Hugh McDonnell, ITLUS president (centre).

To beet or not to beet. That is the question facing the tillage industry. The six men listed above are on a mission to bring the beet industry back to Ireland. Work has been ongoing for nearly a decade to revive the industry, which was effectively ended in the early 2000s.

Farmers must now decide if they are willing to commit €1,000 each to the project and pledge to supply beet to a beet factory they will have a shareholding in. The Beet Ireland team has done much work but can it succeed?

Patrick Coveney – Greencore:

Patrick Coveney, Greencore CEO. \ Donal O'Leary

The first Coveney brother on the list. What a year for Patrick. Greencore, which was formed in 1991 following the privatisation of Irish Sugar, is the world’s largest sandwich maker and had an up-and-down year.

Patrick’s baby surprised the market in September by announcing the sell-off of its US business to Hearthside for €935m. This effectively ended the company’s much-maligned foray into the US.

Using the windfall, Greencore had planned on returning €578m to its shareholders via a special dividend but instead it is using a share tender offer to return the wedge to shareholders. Under this process, Greencore will distribute the funds by buying back shares from shareholders

Simon Coveney – Brexit minister:

Tánaiste Simon Coveney.

The other Coveney brother on the list. What a year for Simon. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs has been the lead on all things Brexit for Ireland over the course of the year. Navigating the political minefield that is Brexit has taken all his skill, talent and hard work. It was all going quite well (as well as Brexit can go) until last week when a no deal became much, much more likely. All that skill, talent and hard work will be required in 2019 to ensure Ireland does not become a busted flush in this game of poker.

Tara McCarthy – Bord Bia:

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia CEO. \ Patrick Browne

Staying with the Brexit theme, and maybe she should feature in a ones-to-watch list for 2019, what with the Brexit trials, but Tara McCarthy has had a big year. Multiple trade missions to Asian countries show where the priority lies after the Brexit divorce. With a hard Brexit looking more and more likely, there is considerable pressure on Tara’s shoulders to find a home for our food as we head into 2019.

John Jordan – Ornua CEO:

John Jordan, CEO of Ornua. \ Rita Slattery

Turmoil aplenty in Ornua for its new chief executive John Jordan to contend with. Rows from within its own boardroom regarding the Glanbia Truly Grass Fed brand, a melting butter market, underperforming investments in Saudi Arabia and South Africa means that the dairy board is at a crossroads. Jordan will have to stamp his authority on the Ornua board in 2019, but he is an operator of considerable talent.

The Dealer – as in THE Dealer:

No list of hob-knobbing, shoulder-rubbing, back-patting supremoes would be complete with The Dealer. Don’t worry, I’ll be back to keep you all on your toes in 2019.