New Moredun Foundation Regional Board in Northern Ireland

The Moredun Foundation, a leading farming animal health charity, is delighted to announce the establishment of a new Regional Board in Northern Ireland. This new board will play a pivotal role as a liaison between Moredun and livestock farmers in Northern Ireland. The inaugural meeting was held on the 11th of March 2024 at the Maldron Belfast International Airport and was also attended by Dr Tom McNeilly, Scientific Director and CEO of the Moredun Group and Professor Elisabeth Innes, Director of Communications.  

The new Regional Board will be chaired by Dr Simon Doherty, a veterinary surgeon who has worked in clinical practice and research and is now at Queens University in Belfast where his interests include, food security, one health and sustainable agriculture and aquaculture.  

Dr Doherty, Chair of the Northern Ireland Moredun Foundation Regional Board said: 

“Excellent collaborations already exist between the universities and research institutes working in agriculture, aquaculture and animal health, across the North Channel. The formation of the NI Regional Board of the Moredun Foundation is a significant step in further strengthening existing links between the farming and veterinary communities in Scotland and Northern Ireland; it will provide an excellent vehicle for knowledge exchange between the Moredun Research Institute and farmers and vets in the two regions.”

 

Responsible for staying abreast of livestock health issues in their specific region, advisors contribute to the effective communication of research outputs from Moredun to relevant stakeholders. The feedback provided by Regional Advisors is highly valued by Moredun, influencing the organisation’s research relevance and shaping communication and outreach strategies. Ultimately, their efforts contribute to bridging the gap between research findings and practical application in the livestock industry, ensuring that farmers and veterinarians can derive maximum benefit from Moredun’s work. 

 Dr Tom McNeilly, Scientific Director and CEO of the Moredun Group said: 

“Moredun is a unique research organisation as our work is co-developed with farmers to ensure that our research makes a real difference to livestock farmers and the animals they keep. The Moredun Foundation Regional Boards are critical in providing connections to regional farming communities within the UK and enable us to develop local activities and events which are of specific relevance to each region. These partnerships enable effective communication of new developments and technologies to farmers aimed at improving the health and welfare of farm animals and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. I am very much looking forward to working with this newly established Regional Board to better align our activities with the needs of the farming community in Northern Ireland.”

The Northern Ireland Moredun Foundation Regional Board is Chaired by Dr Simon Doherty, Queens University in Belfast and consists of Edward Adamson, National Sheep Association, Northern Ireland Regional Manager; Rona Campbell, Elanco; Robin Skuce, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI); Steven Johnston, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland (DAERA); Jonathan Moore, Dairy Farmer; Liz Donnelly,  Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland (DAERA); Mark Little, Fane Valley Co-op Society; and Campbell Tweed, OBE, Sheep Farmer.