The new President, of Macra na Feirme, Roscommon-man Sean Finan, plans to growth the organisation’s new membership during his term as President.

During the two-year term Finan said he would be a visible president and said that his mandate was the development of the organisation, young farmers and rural youth.

He said a lot had been achieved in the past number of years in relation to CAP for young farmers. But now it was about ensuring the implementation of all schemes.

Macra’s current membership, he said, was in the region of 5,000 and any growth would involve collaboration within the organisation to see where growth could come from.

Working as a construction manager, Finan farms part-time as a beef farmer outside Castlerea, Roscommon.

He won the Macra election comfortably in the end, despite it being a hotly contested race in the weeks and months preceding the election.

He held off a strong challenge from Cork candidate Michelle O’Callaghan but after the first count Finan had 80 first preference votes to O’Callaghan’s 56. While it went down to transfers, it was clear to the tallymen from early on that Finan had done enough to become the 35th President of Macra na Feirme.

Finan has served at Macra National Level on a number of committees, including Roscommon National Council representative and National Treasurer.