The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) today (Monday, September 29) confirmed that Conall Donnelly has been appointed as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

UFU president, William Irvine, said: “The UFU conducted a very thorough recruitment process over the past few months to appoint a new CEO and were extremely encouraged with the response received."

Irvine said that Donnelly will take up the role in early March next year.

Donnelly is currently the managing director of the UFU’s commercial subsidiary, Countryside Services.

According to the union he has "very considerable experience within the Northern Ireland agri-food industry".

Donnelly was previously chief executive of the Northern Ireland Meat Exporters Association and also held a senior role with the Livestock and Meat Commission.

His appointment comes as the union warns that farm families in Northern Ireland face a "critical point in time" with the UK government's proposed changes to Inheritance Tax and Agricultural Property Relief set to become law in the next few months.

Irvine has described the tax as a "horrendous prospect".

From April 2026 taxes will apply to "agricultural assets over £1 million (or up to £3 million in certain circumstances).

The UK government has said this would "just affect the wealthiest landowners and disincentivise buying agricultural land to avoid tax".

But it has also confirmed that that the valuation of any estate would include non-residential agricultural buildings, farm vehicles, farm tools, livestock, chemicals and fertiliser stock.

According to the UFU president the UK government has "ignored not only the facts about the destruction these proposals would cause to the agri-food industry, but the sincerity and courage of our farm families who stood up and shared intimate fears for their farm.

"Inheritance tax is a direct and undeniable attack on the very bedrock of the nation’s food system," he said.

The UFU has warned that the UK government's proposed family farm inheritance tax has had a "severe mental impact" on farmers and growers in Northern Ireland.