AgriSearch, the farmer-funded research and innovation body, has announced the appointment of Prof. Gerry Boyle, Norman McMordie and Ian McCluggage to its Board of Trustees. Prof. Boyle recently retired as director of Teagasc. He led that organisation since 2007, during which time he received many accolades, including the bestowal of the Academic Palm by the French government in 2017, and the conferring of an honorary degree in science by University College Cork (UCC) in 2019. In 2018, he was elected president of Euragri – the EU network for public agri-food research and innovation organisations, and for the last five years he has served as an ex-officio member of the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC).

Other board appointments

Norman McMordie was brought up on a Co. Down beef farm - home to the renowned Solpoll herd of pedigree Herefords.

An agriculture graduate of Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), he started his career at Richardson’s Fertilisers before moving to Dalgety Agriculture in the mid-80s.

After Dalgety left Northern Ireland in 1998, he joined the Veterinary Surgeons’ Supply Company, the wholesale business representing all the major pharmaceutical suppliers of drugs and vaccines to NI vets. After managing the company for 20 years, Norman retired as managing director in 2018, and remains a director.

Ian McCluggage, who recently retired from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), was brought up on a Co. Antrim dairy farm.

He was head of branch for knowledge and technology transfer operational policy and had previously served as head of dairy advisory for many years. He has served as president of the Ulster Grassland Society and president of the Northern Ireland Institute of Agricultural Science. He was recently awarded the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the annual Farming Life awards. AgriSearch chairperson, Seamus McCaffrey said: “I would like to warmly welcome Gerry, Norman and Ian to the Board of Trustees and look forward to working with them.
"The Northern Ireland ruminant livestock sector is facing a time of unprecedented challenges and AgriSearch is privileged to have secured the services of three such well qualified and experienced Trustees who will be invaluable in helping AgriSearch adapt to continue to meet the needs of the sector.
“I would also like to thank John Martin who stood down from the board at the AGM [annual general meeting] for the valuable contribution he made to the board over the past nine years."

AgriSearch

AgriSearch (The Northern Ireland Agricultural Research and Development Council), is an independent charity, registered with the Charities Commission for Northern Ireland.

It was formed in 1997 to provide a mechanism through which beef, dairy and sheep farmers could have direct involvement in production orientated research.

Funds contributed to AgriSearch are used to commission research into the improvement and development of beef, sheep and dairy farming. AgriSearch has said that its guiding principal is to provide practical benefit for primary producers to reduce costs, improve performance, drive innovation and improve welfare.
AGRISEARCH GERRY BOYLE