A civic reception was held in Laois last week in honour of Francie Gorman.

The assembly was held on Thursday 31 October in the Laois County Council chambers to present a certificate of recognition to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president.

The reception was MCed by county council senior executive officer Pat Delaney, with speakers such as local authority chief executive Simon Walton and IFA Laois county chair Henry Burns.

Also speaking at the reception, Laois County Council cathaoirleach Padraig Fleming said that Gorman is well known and has wide knowledge and experience in the agricultural industry.

“As [IFA] president, Francie works tirelessly with the organisation and represents 72,000 members negotiating with the Irish government and [European] Commission on all farming issues.

“It is always with a sense of pride that Laois County Council honours people from within our own community who represent their county and country with such distinction and who promote such a positive image at local, national and international level.”

Career

Gorman was elected as the 17th president of the IFA in December 2023.

He previously worked as IFA regional chair for south Leinster and as chair of Laois IFA, which he represented on the national farm business committee.

Fleming added that the modern farming landscape comes with a unique set of challenges.

“Sustainability is something that every farmer in Ireland is being tasked with incorporating into their business,” he said.

“Farmers are now required to meet the changing needs of our planet and the expectations of regulators, consumers, food processors and retailers.

"From finding more efficient processes and machinery to completing in-depth sustainability reports, it’s part of an ongoing effort to help the industry play its part in protecting the environment.”