Macra 2025 presidential campaign intensifies

The two candidates in the race to be the next president of Macra diverged on little at the second of six hustings held in the run up to the organisation’s leadership elections on Tuesday in Cavan.

First to speak was secondary school teacher Josephine O’Neill of Callan Macra, who signalled that CAP negotiations, TB, generational renewal and nitrates rules would be among the chief issues facing the next president of the organisation.

O’Neill is the current chair of Macra’s board, a position she said gives her an “in-depth insight” into the workings of the organisation and which saw her navigate 2023’s budget deficit on which the board has “turned the tide”.

Whitchurch Macra’s Conor Murphy, an agri contractor, pledged to run an annual recruitment campaign nationally, if elected, and to strengthen the lobbying position of the ag affairs committee.

Murphy spoke of competitions being the “lifeblood” of Macra and signalled his intention to expand competitions to more clubs and regions, should he be elected.

A question from the floor pressed the candidates on one initiative they would be particularly focused on if successful in their leadership bid.

Murphy responded that focusing on the CAP budget and increasing young farmer supports would be a particular focus of his, while O’Neill said that her leadership would seek to improve consumers’ understanding of farming.

The candidates diverged on whether Macra has a membership retention issue, with Murphy stating that it does, but O’Neill saying that retention is not an issue, but membership engagement is.

A former Fine Gael local election candidate, Murphy said he would engage with any political party willing to engage with Macra on issues facing its membership, while O’Neill commented that she would advocate for Macra’s views on policies, rather than her own.

The hustings took place just hours after Macra contacted clubs to inform them that presidential election ballots were to be reissued by head office due to there being errors on those initially posted out.

Just one of the six clubs listed as having nominated Murphy were correct on the first set of ballots distributed.

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