The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced the extension of the appointments of the chair and three board members of the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC).
Chair of the commission, Gerard McGivern, and three members of the board, Harry Sinclair, Jim Lennon and Gerry Maguire, have had their terms extended until June 6, 2023.
DAERA said the extensions were made to ensure that the LMC board remains “functional with the appropriate retention of experience and skills” and the decision was made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.
The department confirmed that a public appointments process to fill these positions is currently underway.
LMC chair – Gerard McGivern
McGivern was first appointed as the LMC chair on November 7, 2015, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and of the Institute of Economic Development.
He has been involved at a senior level in a number of district councils in various marketing and development roles, DAERA said, and has led numerous cross border initiatives.
McGivern is also the vice-chair of Banbridge District Enterprises Ltd., and a non-executive director of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
Harry Sinclair
Sinclair, a suckler cow, beef and sheep farmer, was appointed as a board member on July 1, 2015.
He is a past president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and has extensive experience of advocacy on behalf of the farming community, the department said.
Sinclair has served as chair of the UFU’s hill farming and beef and lamb committees and is a founder and chair of the Northern Ireland Farm Safety Partnership.
He has also served as the vice-president of the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations (COPA) and as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).
Jim Lennon
Lennon, like Sinclair, was first appointed as an LMC board member on July 1, 2015.
Lennon is a beef farmer specialising in the production of Aberdeen Angus cattle and he is also involved in the Derrynoose Farming Community Group, which promotes investment and training in livestock production.
Sinclair has significant wide senior public sector experience shown in both his current role as head of corporate service for Middletown Centre for Autism and various senior roles in the National Health Service, DAERA said.
He has also been involved in local economic and social regeneration matters in the Armagh area.
Gerry Maguire
Maguire was appointed as a board member on October 22, 2015, and has 37 years’ experience in the red meat processing industry.
He is currently the managing director of Linden Foods and is directly responsible for the Linden Foods Group which, according to DAERA, has an annual turnover of £400 million.
Maguire is also a director of Slaney Foods and has previously served three years on Bord Bia’s Meat and Livestock Board.