CAFRE College Advisory Group (CAG)
The College Advisory Group (CAG) is an Expert Committee responsible for providing advice at a strategic and operational level to the management team of College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) on the delivery of CAFRE programmes for the Northern Ireland Agri-food industry.
The group was established in January 2007 and reports to the interim College Director, Paul McHenry.
The Group comprises a Chair, and 13 members. Each member has been appointed to represent various sectors relevant to the role and work of CAFRE. The appointment information can be found here.
The Chair of the Group is Maynard Mawhinney.
CHAIRPERSON
Maynard Mawhinney was appointed Chair of the Group in 2021 and is an experienced Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the Agri-Food industry. Maynard is agri-food advisor to BDO and an independent food consultant as well as the current Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. He was Director of Food, Drink and Commercial Tourism at InvestNI from 2003 – 2013, working with strategic partners to develop Agri-Food strategies. Maynard has also served as a Board Member to the Health & Safety Executive (NI), an Independent Interview Board Assessor for the Commissioner for Public Appointments NI, a Business Coach through Mentoring Concave and a member of the CAFRE College Advisory Group representing the Food Processing sector.
AGRI-FOOD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Craig Blaney has a vast amount of experience within the Agri-food Business Development sector having worked for 5 years in Finnebrogue in which he managed and co-ordinated PR Marketing. His next role was within Valeo Foods IE in which he looked after around 15 company owned and agency brands and was responsible for conceiving, costing and implementing PR, marketing and brand strategies. In 2018, Mr Blaney began his own business Airtight Creative, where he works to advise businesses and guide them through the development of their strategic plans and supports the implementation of their long and short term goals. He is also the Deputy Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council and is Member of both the Regeneration and Corporate Committee’s. He was appointed as a Non-Executive Director to the Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland in August 2022 and is also a Board Member of the Northern Community Leisure Trust and the YMCA for North Down.
ARABLE CROPS/COMMERCIAL HORTICULTURE
Barclay Bell has considerable experience in the Agriculture Industry, farming an 8th generation farm at Rathfriland, County Down, with the enterprises including cereals, sheep, and beef cattle. Diversification has also played a role on the farm with a cut flower enterprise and wind turbine. Mr Bell is an experienced Board member, a Past President of the UFU (2016-2018), current member of the UFU Seeds and Cereal Committee, Chair of the NFU Regional Board and a Trustee of the Air Ambulance NI. He is also Vice-Chair of the Ulster Arable Society and Chair of the Arable sub-group of the Greenhouse Gas Implementation Partnership as well as a member of an Arable and Environmental Business Development Group.
EDUCATION
Stephen Black has been a school Principal for almost 19 years; firstly, in Antrim Grammar School and from 2014 in Ballymena Academy. In addition, he has held roles including Principal Examiner for CCEA A Level Mathematics, President of the Association of School and College Leaders (NI), member of various Department of Education working groups and member of the Executive Committee of the Governing Bodies Association. Outside of school, he is an Ulster Branch representative on the IRFU where he is a member of the Management Committee and Chairman of its Rugby Committee.
ENVIRNOMENT
Bill Harpur is a full-time farmer operating a birth to slaughter Aberdeen Angus beef herd within the Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). For over 25 years he has participated in Environmentally Sensitive Area schemes, Countryside Management and the Environmental Farming scheme. Mr Harpur currently acts as chair for the Ulster Farmer’s Union (UFU) Environment Committee. As part of this role, he was heavily involved in developing the UFU Farming with Nature scheme. He is a past Chair of the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust which enabled him to oversee a partnership organisation promoting environmental management and sustainable development. He has active participation in a CAFRE Environmental Business Development Group in which he presented a video showcasing low carbon beef production that went on to be shown at the COP 26 summit. Mr Harpur also had a previous 36 year career in teaching, including 12 years as a head teacher and was awarded an OBE for services to Education in Northern Ireland
EQUINE
Orlaith McLaughlin has had a lifelong involvement in the Equine Industry from an early age, as a member of the Pony Club, competing in a wide range of disciplines including eventing, dressage and mounted games. Before moving into a full-time teaching career, Ms McLaughlin worked within the equine industry focussing primarily on the development of young horses. In recent years she has worked on a part-time basis within the horse racing industry and has an interest in the retraining and welfare of racehorses beyond their competitive careers. In addition, she is completing a Masters in Equine Science.
RED MEAT
Seamus McMenamin has a large amount of experience within the Red Meat sector. He graduated from Queens University Belfast with a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Rural Development and Project Management. Over a period of 12 years he was employed by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) in various capacities including Farm Quality Assurance Manager, Market Analyst and Agricultural Economist. These roles allowed him to work closely with all the major red meat processors within Northern Ireland and in the delivery of a number of bespoke projects. Between 2014 and 2020 Mr McMenamin was a member of the Senior Management Team in LMC gaining him valuable experience. Most recently, he has taken on the role of Sector Manager for Sheepmeat, Livestock and Organics for Bord Bia while also assisting colleagues in supporting the Irish Beef sector. These roles in addition to his farming background has given him a strong understanding and ability to represent the Red Meat sector.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Dr Kevin Morgan has worked in the Higher Education sector for over 12 years, including 9 years as a researcher and over 3 years as a Lecturer and is currently employed at Queens University Belfast. Dr Morgan has a BSc honours degree in Chemistry and PhD in Catalysis and specialises his teaching in chemistry and chemical engineering delivering both undergraduate and post-graduate programmes while also being involved in the development of content for new programmes. He has a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He also has several certificates awarded by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) in areas of University Co-ordinator, Mentoring and Support Learning in a Digital Age, from the Microsoft Educators Centre, and from Advance HE for External Examiners. Dr Morgan is a Chartered Chemist while sitting on the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Education Division Committee in addition to being elected to the RSC Ireland Regional Steering Committee. In addition, he has been appointed to the Royal Irish Academy multidisciplinary committee for Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences based on his work in Chemical Education Outreach and public communication.
SUSTAINABILITY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
Cathal McDonnell is Head of Business Transformation and Sustainability at Deli Lites Ireland, heading up the development and delivery of their Sustainability Strategy for the past 11 years. He has led numerous renewable energy and waste projects; including achieving reductions in plastic packaging waste by 20% year on year for the past 4 years, 0% waste to landfill and 100% of food waste being used for energy generation. He has overseen the company becoming the world’s first BCorp Certified Sandwich producer, which is one of the world’s most prestigious sustainability certifications. He is also a member of the Northern Ireland Food Advisory Committee who advise and support the Food Standards Agency to achieve their mission of safe, healthier and more sustainable food.
DAIRYING
Harold Johnston has over 35 years’ experience of the Dairy farming sector and has had success in several competitions, most notably First place in the 2020 Ulster Grassland Society “Grassland Farmer of the year” competition. Harold has a long career of service to the farming community, having been a Board member of Dale Farm Co-Op since 2011, a position which has given him insight into the processor side of the industry. He is also currently President-Elect of the Ulster Grassland Society, a member of South Antrim Dairy Group and was County Antrim chairman of the Ulster Farmers Union in 2005.
PIGS
Ryan Mortimer has considerable experience within the Poultry Industry and is a qualified professional with a BSc Agricultural Technology with Professional Studies Degree awarded by Queens University Belfast. For 5 years he managed a team within Moy Park where he reviewed standards and practices relating to animal welfare, sustainability and food safety, while leading and implementing programmes, protocols and policies to meet industry standards in addition to improving animal wellbeing and productivity. He also worked as a meat and poultry tutor in which he delivered meat and poultry industry skills NVQ’s to meat plants and butchers. He is currently an RSPCA Assured Field Assessor for poultry farms across Northern Ireland where he is communicating directly with farmers and the issues the industry is facing first hand. He also works on his 3rd generation family farm which comprises of goats, sheep and cattle and runs a large sheep and beef share farm alongside his brother.
PRODUCTION HORTICULTURE
Lawrence Whyte comes from an organic suckler-beef and cropping farming background but has developed a strong interest in horticulture having been involved in the running of his family’s small vegetable operation, producing for local markets. He further developed his experience in horticultural production working in a local Agri-Supplies business; supporting agronomists and advising growers. Mr Whyte is a Policy Assistant at the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), engaging with members involved in the horticulture sector and supporting communication of policy developments. At farm level, he continues to be closely involved in the management of crop production.
FOOD PROCESSING
Elaine Willis has over 25 years of experience in the Agri-Food Processing Industry and is currently the Retail Operations Director in the Linden Food Ltd (2016-present), part of the ABP Food Group, which supplies red meat products to major retailers and Food Service businesses. She has responsibility for the management of two food processing sites at Linden Retail, Dungannon and Kettyle Irish Foods, Lisnaskea; with a total of 350 employees. Her responsibilities encompass everything from sales and marketing strategy for key retail customers to Operations, Technical, Health and Safety, Planning, Supply Chain and Purchasing, New Product Development and Innovation, People Management, Training and Development, as well as Sustainability Strategy implementation. She has a BSc Hons Degree in Food Science and Technology from Loughry Campus and was previously the Head of Innovation and Business Development at Linden Food Group (2007-2016).