A RECRUITMENT campaign is underway to appoint a new chair and a member to the College Advisory Group (CAG) that provides advice on strategic and operational issues to Northern Ireland's College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise.

The CAG has twelve members and it is currently chaired by Dr Mike Johnston MBE, of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland. CAG aims to have expertise across all sectors of the agri-food industry and there are now two positions required to be filled from July 1 2021– a new Chair and a new member representing the dairy sector.

College drector, Martin McKendry said: “At CAFRE we aim to develop and deliver programmes of education, knowledge transfer and innovation which underpin the sustainable development of the local agri-food industry. CAG has provided sound and impartial advice which has assisted CAFRE to further develop its wide portfolio of programmes and invest in key capital projects.

“I would like to thank the outgoing cair and member for their valuable contribution to CAG and I look forward to welcoming the new cair and member later in the year who will help the College respond to the current and future needs of the industry.”

The Group meets up to a maximum of six times per year across CAFRE’s campuses which are situated in Antrim, Cookstown and Enniskillen. Applicants for the Chair position must have a minimum of three years’ experience within the last 10 years working in the agri-food sector and a minimum of three years senior management experience within the last 10 years including the chairing of committees and working groups. The member representing the dairy sector must have recent experience and knowledge of that sector.