The Ulster Farmers' Union holds its annual meeting this Saturday when there will be changes to the Presidential team.

Victor Chestnutt has completed his term as President and as is expected, David Brown from Florencecourt will step up to the top post. He has now completed two two-year terms as Deputy President.

David will follow a line of Fermanagh Presidents who have served the UFU with distinction over the years.

With David's position as Deputy President becoming vacant, there will be a vacancy for a new nominee. The other Deputy President's post currently held by William Irvine also comes up for re-election.

This year there will be plenty of competition for the two Deputy President roles with six nominations;

- William Irvine, a dairy farmer from Mountnorris, Co. Armagh;

- Mary Hunter, Drumahoe, Co. Londonderry;

- Glenn Cuddy, Donaghmore;

- Ian Buchanan, Dungiven;

- Sam Chesney, Kircubbin;

- John McLenaghan, Garvagh.

The election of office-bearers will be part of the annual meeting being held in Loughry College when the guest speaker will be DAERA Agriculture and Environment Minister, Edwin Poots.

The event begins at 1pm in person and also online.

David Brown is a suckler beef and sheep farmer from Florencecourt and is a past chair of Fermanagh Grassland Club.

He is passionate about grassland management.

Within the UFU, David previously represented the south-west group on the beef and lamb committee and during two years as Fermanagh County Chairman, David represented farmer’s concerns throughout the extreme flooding of 2015/16 and the subsequent Rivers Agency review.

He was co-opted on to the UFU Management Board in 2016 and appointed to represent the red meat sector on the CAFRE College Advisory Group in 2017.

David was first elected as UFU Deputy President in 2018 and has now served his two terms.