The Teagasc Authority has announced today, Wednesday, April 7, that Prof. Gerry Boyle, who has led the organisation since October 2007, will retire as director in September.
His initial seven-year contract had been extended on two occasions.
During Prof. Boyle’s period at the helm, Teagasc experienced many changes from the moratorium on recruitment and wage cuts in the wake of the 2009 recession, to the current coronavirus pandemic.
Development of Teagasc
Teagasc has said that in that time, it has focused on adjusting to change with the support of staff and stakeholders.
On the international front, Teagasc has emphasised that it has established a reputation for working at the cutting edge in terms of research and advisory activity.
Back home, Teagasc adds that it has completed analysis of the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and in responding, through pointing the scientific way forward in relation to the sustainability agenda, especially on climate change.
In a statement to Agriland, Teagasc said: “Over that period, Gerry Boyle has focused on improving Teagasc’s scientific excellence, its responsiveness to the needs of farmers and food companies and its policy relevance.
“Teagasc has managed to navigate a difficult path between articulating the scientific interests of Ireland’s agri-food sector, while maintaining its scientific independence.
“Teagasc now has a well-developed system for rigorously evaluating the performance of its research, advisory, education and administrative functions. It has also developed a systematic open door consultation process with all of its stakeholders.”
Teagasc programmes
Teagasc said that it has forged effective joint initiatives with Ireland’s leading dairy and meat companies.
Over Boyle’s tenure, Teagasc developed its Education Vision strategy and also launched Teagasc ConnectEd – a programme that delivers education and training initiatives to a wide range of rural professionals.
More recently Teagasc has committed to introducing the first CPD (continued professional development) programme that’s specifically directed at farmers.
The statement from Teagasc adds that its research facilities have been developed considerably while Prof. Boyle was director, but especially in recent years with the construction of the National Food Innovation Hub; the expansion of the MTL pilot plant at Moorepark; the National Prepared Consumer Foods Centre at Ashtown; and the Bia Innovator on the Athenry campus.
Achievements for Gerry Boyle
As director, Gerry Boyle received many personal accolades, most notably, the bestowal of the Academic Palm by the Government of France in 2017 and the conferring of an honorary degree in science by University College Cork (UCC) in 2019.
He was also elected president of Euragri in 2018, which is the EU network for public agri-food research and innovation organisations. For the last five years he has served as an ex officio member of the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC).
Liam Herlihy, chairman of the Teagasc Authority, has thanked Gerry Boyle for his “excellent leadership” in Teagasc and in the wider agri-food sector.
He also confirmed that the process to appoint a new director will begin shortly.