County Derry farmers part of UFU's new leadership team
Garvagh farmer, John McLenaghan, was voted in as president for two years, while Glenn Cuddy was re-elected as deputy president for a second term. They will be joined by newly elected deputy president Clement Lynch
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has announced their newly elected leadership team today following its Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The election took place at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus, with some council members participating online and Garvagh farmer, John McLenaghan, was voted in as president for two years. Glenn Cuddy was re-elected as deputy president for a second term, and he will be joined by newly elected deputy president Clement Lynch, from Park.
John has a suckler beef, egg enterprise, wind turbine and biogas plant. He and his partner is Lisa have three children. John’s UFU experience includes former group chair of North East Derry/Londonderry. He has been a member of the poultry, rural enterprise, animal health and environment committees. He has served on the board and was previously chair of poultry and environment.
Co Tyrone man Glenn has three children, and farms alongside his two sons and wife Heather. They run a modern birth-to-bacon sow unit, in addition to suckler cows and a pedigree and commercial sheep flock. For four years, Glenn chaired the pork and bacon committee and represented the UFU on the Red Tractor pig board and sat on the Board of Pig Regen, which conducts research with AFBI. He served on the shadow board of the NI sustainability farming programme, the animal health committee and the pork and bacon forum.
Clement is a hill sheep farmer along with his wife, Siobhan and two grown up children. Clement has served as chair of NW Derry group, Hill Farming Committee Chair and has represented members on the FQAS industry board, the AgriSearch Sheep Committee and the Sheep Taskforce. He has also participated in the Northern Ireland Sheep Programme; his farm was a CAFRE Technology Demonstration farm and he is an Agri Search Grass Check farmer. Clement sits as a board member of the Ulster Wool Growers’ Association and Rapid, and on the committees of the National Sheep Association and Donemana Livestock Market.
Guest speaker, DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir, addressed the UFU Council before engaging in a Q&A. He confirmed bovine TB remains a top priority for him, described the NAP Stakeholder group as focused and constructive and touched on other agri issues such as climate change, the ongoing war in Iran and inheritance tax.
Following his election as president, John McLenaghan addressed UFU Council members, stating: “Together we are stronger. We don't all have to always agree on every single issue, but I believe we do agree on the importance of maintaining productive sustainable farming for this and the next generation. We must agree that we are only as strong as we are united, the more division there is the more weakness there is.”
The new president shared that he is realistic about the challenges which lie ahead, yet optimistic.
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“This morning the Office for Environmental Protection launched its report on the previous NAP programme which ran from 2019 to now and its effect on water quality,” he said.
“As expected, it includes some criticisms, but it also starts by acknowledging the ‘positive investment and efforts from farmers’.
“You are those farmers and that acknowledgement is something you should be proud of and which should encourage us all to continue to be better.
“We are privileged to be farmers, to provide for our fellow citizens. And that privilege comes with responsibility and it also comes with opportunity.
Mr McLenaghan thanked Council for the honour of being elected leader of the UFU.
“There has never been a better time to be president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union and I look forward to working alongside you over the coming years.”