Book Now! All Set for Conference In this issue. > Inspiring business seminars. > Day out at Country Crest. > Updating on food prospects

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1 July 2013 All Set for Conference 2013 In this issue > Inspiring business seminars > Day out at Country Crest > Updating on food prospects > Brokering the CAP > Seeing beef at its best > Meeting the top trainer Conference speakers, Paul Finnerty (left), chief executive ABP Food Group and Patrick Boyle, president and chief executive American Meat Institute. Speakers from the US, Brussels, Switzerland, Holland, England, Scotland and Ireland make up our impressive panel at what promises to be a superb ASA Conference 2013 in the Tower Hotel, Waterford on Friday 13 September. President Peter Bolger and his conference team have worked feverishly in assembling a high calibre panel for the conference on the theme National Steps to Global Impact. Please put the date in your diary. We have secured two of world s leading beef industry figures Paul Finnerty, chief executive of the ABP Food Group and Patrick Boyle, president and chief executive of the giant Washingtonbased American Meat Institute (AMI). ABP is Europe s largest beef exporter with sales in excess of 2bn and 8,000 employees in Ireland, UK and Europe. AMI represents 1,100 US meat companies with a combined turnover of $95bn ( 70bn). The keynote address will be given by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney who will also join in a discussion on Fitting the New Irish CAP, involving Pekka Pesonen from COPA-COGECA, Teagasc director Prof Gerry Boyle and Prof Alan Renwick from UCD. Other high-powered panellists include Prof John O Brien from Swiss-based Nestle, the world s biggest food and drinks maker with sales of 73bn and net profit of 8.5bn in Nestle employs 330,000 worldwide. Agricultural graduate Jim Galvin is travelling home from Chicago where he is chief executive of Lakeview Energy which produces 450m litres of bio-fuels annually. Matthew Johnson, European dairy analyst with Rabobank, will join us from Holland to discuss global milk prospects. And we will have a forum involving four young Irish people farming internationally. (More details inside) FBD is again our conference partner. The conference is also generously supported by the major players in the agri-food sector. The key sponsors are listed inside. Book Now! Book your conference place now. Contact our Manager Rhoda Bermingham or Lisa O Connor at: ; secretary@ asaireland.ie. Book also for the conference Banquet on Thursday 12 September, or reserve a table for friends or colleagues. Full details from Rhoda. We have maintained conference costs at last year s levels; 80 for members and 50 for students and retired members. Tickets for the conference banquet are 65/person. Rooms are available in the Tower Hotel at the conference rate of 65/single and 44.50/person for a double and twin room. To book, call the hotel directly at or visit 1

2 Members Enjoy Business Seminars ASA President Peter Bolger, Professor Damien McLoughlin, Smurfit Business School and Eoin Lowry, ASA Honorary Secretary at one of the three ASA business management seminars at the Smurfit Business School. There was a very positive reaction from members who attended the business management seminars at the Smurfit Business School in Blackrock, Co Dublin. More than 50 ASA members drawn from all parts of the agri-food sector attended the three special seminars which took place over six weeks in late January/February. The seminars were delivered by marketing expert Professor Damien McLoughlin, director of education at the Smurfit Business School and one of the leading authorities worldwide on postgraduate education. Each seminar featured a food industry case study which participants were required to read in advance of the event. The seminars were highly interactive and members who were fortunate to be able to participate found them enjoyable, challenging, inspiring and informative. The three modules are the equivalent of 25% of a full MBA course at the Smurfit School, indicating the great value to members who availed of them. Conference 2013 Sponsors Organising a conference on such a massive scale would not be possible without the support of the agri-food sector. FBD is again our conference partner for the 13th successive year. We are grateful to chief executive Andrew Langford and his colleagues for their continued support. We acknowledge with gratitude our session sponsors Glanbia, Goulding, Kerry Group, Irish Farmers Journal and Rabobank. Bord Bia is again our banquet sponsor. Dawn Meats is sponsor of our pre-banquet reception and conference golf and Alltech is the sponsor of our conference lunch. 2 A section of the attendance of ASA members at one of the three business management seminars at the Smurfit Business School. We are deeply grateful to these and our many other sponsors as well as the companies who have already agreed to sponsor tables at our banquet. All sponsors will be prominently acknowledged in the conference programme which will be forwarded to members in the next two weeks.

3 Day Out at Country Crest Teagasc adviser Shay Phelan, Country Crest farm manager Thomas Murphy, ASA manager Rhoda Bermingham and ASA member Belinda Walsh on the Country Crest farm at Ballyboughal, Co Dublin. Retired Members in the Dáil Members who participated in our summer tillage tour to the Country Crest farms, packing and distribution facility in north Co Dublin on 18 June heard the phenomenal success story of the family-run business. Brothers Michael and Gabriel Hoey established Country Crest in 1994 and the company is now a major supplier of potatoes, onions and spring onions to the retail sector. It is also a big manufacturer and supplier of prepared meals. The Hoey family grow 2,500 acres of cereals, potatoes, beans and onions. We got a fantastic insight into top-class tillage farming and into storage, assembly and distribution of fresh and processed foods. Our event for retired members was sold out within minutes of details being announced. This year, our retirees went to the Dáil, the National Library and National Gallery on 26 June. They were given a tour of Leinster House, sat in on Leader s Questions and met ASA colleagues who are members of the Oireachtas as well as a large number of other Oireachtas members. Because of the huge demand, we will run a similar event in the autumn for retired members who could not be facilitated on the June tour. Retired members and partners pictured on the plinth of Leinster House with Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan, President Peter Bolger and ASA manager Rhoda Bermingham. Banking Moves Sean Farrell and his team in the agricultural department in Bank of Ireland have recently acquired three new graduate colleagues. John Fitzgerald, Patrick Byrnes and Susan Maher have joined the bank as agricultural development managers. John previously worked with Ulster Bank while Patrick and Susan were with ACC. Patrick Byrne Susan Maher John Fitzgerald 3

4 Seminars Focus on Agri-Food Prospects Two of the industry s leading executives, John Horgan, managing director of Kepak and Jim Bergin, chief executive of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GII), topped the bill at our economy and agri-food seminars held in Dublin and Horse and Jockey in March. The seminars provided members with an opportunity to get updated on the prospects for the economy and the agri sector. John Horgan was joined on the panel in Dublin by Prof John Fitzgerald of the ESRI and Simon Coyle of Mazars while Jim Bergin shared the platform in Horse and Jockey with Prof Alan Renwick of UCD and high profile, outspoken economist Dr Stephen Kinsella from the University of Limerick. Seminar Quotes Donal Fitzgerald, Goldcrop, Tim O Mahony, Gouldings and Mark Moore, Teagasc were among the large attendance of members at the seminar in Horse & Jockey. Beef prices have risen 33% in the past five years, equivalent to over 5billion in increased revenues. But have producer profits improved? - John Horgan. Efficient farming is wholly consistent with sustainable farming. - Jim Bergin. The biggest policy challenge is to unlock the potential inside the farm gate. - John Horgan. If we arrive in 2020 and average borrowings of our farmers are as high as they are in other countries today, then we have failed. - Jim Bergin. The world requires 18bn litres more milk every year. The supply/demand equilibrium is between 31c and 35c/ litre. - Jim Bergin. Jim Bergin (left), chief executive Glanbia Ingredients Ireland and Kepak chief executive John Horgan, keynote speakers at the economic seminars. The Irish/EU beef price differential is largely eliminated. We are now playing in the premier league. - John Horgan. 4 A section of the attendance at the Dublin seminar

5 Brokering the CAP Seán Takes Over Mairead McGuinness pictured in discussion with Paolo De Castro MEP (left), Chair of the Parliament s Agriculture Committee, Minister Simon Coveney and Aidan O Driscoll, assistant secretary Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine during the final, crunch CAP trilogue meeting in June. ASA member Mairead McGuinness MEP was one of the lead negotiators for the European Parliament on CAP reform. Mairead, who represents Ireland East, is a vice chairman of the EPP, the largest political group in the Parliament. The Parliament played a key role in the negotiations given its increased powers of co-decision under the Lisbon Treaty. Seán Farrell will take over from Peter Bolger as ASA President at the AGM which takes place in Waterford on Friday 13 September. From a drystock farm in Longford, Seán graduated with a BAgrSc (animal science) in He is head of agriculture with Bank of Ireland and has served as ASA Vice-President for the past year. We wish him well in his leadership of our association. Donal Takes Top Prize Mentoring Update A number of graduates at different stages of their careers have availed of our Career Mentoring Service since it was introduced at the end of Our thanks to the Mentors who have given their time. We will continue to review the service to ensure it is best meets the needs of members. Details of the service are available in confidence from our manager Rhoda Bermingham. Two former Presidents were among the prize winners at the ASA Captain Pat O Gorman s golf outing held at Tullamore golf club on 19 June. Donal Mullane, Teagasc regional manager in Tipperary and President in 1999/2000 took the top prize. Former Teagasc adviser in Tuam, Michael Niland, was second while third prize went to former AIB agricultural adviser, Philip Maher who serves as President in 1997/98. Donal Mullane (right) is pictured being presented with his prize by Captain Pat O Gorman. Conference Golf The 2013 conference golf event, featuring the ASA President s Prize, takes place at the FBD-owned Faithlegg course on Thursday 12 September. To book tee times, contact Catherine McGrath at ; catherine.mcgrath@teagasc.ie 5

6 Students Excel in Interview Skills President Peter Bolger pictured with the award winners in the ASA mock interviews for UCD final year students, from left: Carol Kelly, Shane Norton, Katrin Breuer, Eamon Corcoran, Noel Claffey, Daphne Scott, Seamus Whitty and Stephen Kiely. UCD final year students in agricultural science participated in mock interviews conducted by ASA members as part of ASA s comprehensive range of services to the next generation of graduates on career opportunities and job seeking skills. Some 30 members participated in the initiative which involved students preparing CVs, writing job application letters, being interviewed and receiving feedback. The eight top performers were presented with ASA awards. Members Join Teagasc Board Past President Dr Karina Pierce and former Council member Tom Tynan (pictured left) have been appointed to the Board of Teagasc. Karina is lecturer in dairy production in UCD and co-ordinator of the UCD/ Teagasc degree programme in dairy business. She started her career in the animal feed industry as a nutritionist with the Kilkenny based Brett Group. Tom Tynan started his career in agricultural consultancy. He has worked with the IFA, Golden Vale Co-op and as an adviser to former Minister Ivan Yates. More recently, he held senior positions in IAWS plc and Origin Enterprises. Dairy Stories from Abroad Four young Irish dairy farmers who have blazed an international trail will feature in a special session at Conference Roscommon-born agricultural graduate Anne Marie Doheny started her career in New Zealand and is running a herd of 140 cows which she established with her husband and fellow graduate Brian at Tullaroan, Co Kilkenny. Westmeath-born graduate Gary Nolan (pictured) went to Missouri in He is milking 1,800 cows this year and is on target to reach 3,100 cows next year. They will be joined on the panel by Brendan Muldowney who is farming in Scotland and Philip Feeney who is farming in England. 6

7 Beef at its Best A section of the attendance of members at the ASA beef day in Kildare. Members interested in beef production had the opportunity to meet one of Ireland s largest and most progressive beef finishers during our ASA Beef Day at the end of February. The visit to the Kildare farm of Wesley Carter attracted keen interest. As well as experiencing leading-edge production, members also benefited from the discussion involving Don O Brien, general manager ABP Nenagh and Joe Burke Bord Bia. Directing the Gathering Jim Miley Jim Miley, a graduate in agricultural economics from UCD, is the project director of the Gathering Ireland. The Roscommon native started his career in the meat industry before joining RTE as an agricultural and current affairs broadcaster. He also served as general secretary of Fine Gael, chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce and was the founder and chief executive of Myhome.ie. He was chief executive of the radio station 4FM before taking up his current position in May Alan Joins Journal Feed Webinar Dr Alan Kelly (left) has joined the Irish Farmers Journal as beef specialist. He was a lecturer in animal science in UCD where he completed his PhD in nutritional physiology in He is also a pedigree Limousin breeder in Westmeath. A large number of members participated in the Teagasc/ ASA webinar on winter feed held on 25 July. There were 109 unique logins during the webinar which was chaired by ASA President Peter Bolger. It proved a highly effective method of getting information across to busy professionals. 7

8 Meeting our Top Trainer Willie Mullins divulging some of the secrets of his success. Members assemble at Willie Mullins stables at Closutton, Carlow. We had a capacity attendance for our annual equine tour which this year took place at the Bagenalstown, Co Carlow stables of famed trainer Willie Mullins on 5 June. For those with a passion for racing it was a day to cherish. Those less obsessed with the sport experienced the passion, energy and wisdom of a man who has risen to the highest level in his profession. Willie is celebrating 25 years as a trainer this year and the story gets better by the year. He trained a record-breaking 193 winners last season, smashing Aidan O Brien s record of 155. His horses won 6m - more than the next four trainers combined. He had 14 winners at Punchestown and was the leading trainer at Cheltenham. He has been Champion National Hunt trainer for the last five years and has won the title seven times in all. It was an inspiring day and the weather also obliged. Managing Gorta Tom, Kirley, acting chief executive of Gorta. Two agricultural graduates are currently filling the top roles in Gorta, the third world agency specialising in the development of agriculture, food and small business. Tom Kirley, former director of administration and former acting director of Teagasc is the acting chief executive of the agency. He took up the role in December Former ASA President Sean Gaule is the current chairman of Gorta. Sean is a former senior inspector in the Department of Agriculture. ASA-Vita Challenge Fancy a trip to Ethiopia and participate in the Great Ethiopian 10K Run on Sunday 24 November? ASA and Vita are assembling a team to join the 36,000 participants in this worthwhile fundraising event. The target is to raise 2,750 per participant, which covers travel and accommodation with the balance going to support Vita s work in Ethiopia The runners will leave Dublin on 22 November and return on 26 November, with an option to stay an extra two days. Full information from Liam Myles; liam.myles@vita.ie; or ASA Manager Rhoda Bermingham; rhodabermingham@asaireland.ie; Justin Takes Over We wish ASA member Justin McCarthy well in his tenure as editor of the Irish Farmers Journal. From Portaferry, Co Down, Justin took up the position of editor in March, succeeding fellow ASA member Matt Dempsey who had edited the paper for the previous 25 years. A graduate in agricultural science from Harper Adams University, Justin joined the Journal as livestock editor in He previously worked as an advisory specialist on the Teagasc/Dawn Meats beef development programme. He will be a session moderator at Conference Conference 2013 Tour Partners of conference delegates and retired members and their partners have the opportunity to participate in what promises to be a very enjoyable Conference Tour on Friday 13 September. The tour will take in Waterford Medieval Museum and the Bishop s Palace Museum. Then it s off to New Ross for a visit to the Dunbrody Famine Ship and lunch on the Galley River Cruising Restaurant. Time and weather permitting, the tour will finish up at the Kennedy Homestead and newly opened visitor at Dunganstown or the Kennedy Park. Our thanks to Dr Frank Crosby and Dr Dermot Ruane for again organising the tour. Booking in advance is strongly advised. Contact Rhoda or Lisa at the ASA office, Tel ; secretary@asaireland.ie. 8 Agricultural Science Association, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12. Tel: ; secretary@asaireland.ie;