The race to become the next president of the Irish Farmers Association has begun with Laois farmer Jer Bergin the first to announce his candidacy.
The 88,000 IFA members will begin voting in November for a successor to John Bryan.
Mr Bergin has been involved with the IFA for more than 20 years and is currently the Leinster vice- president. He chairs the association’s climate change and renewables project team. He runs a suckler beef, tillage and sheep farm in Ballacolla.
He said he had been approached by a large number of IFA members and branches in recent months and asked to put his name forward.
Other names include Carlow IFA chairman Derek Deane and deputy IFA president Eddie Downey from Slane, Co Meath.
