Beef and Lamb Committee

As part of its role, the UFU wish to profile its policy committee chairs and vice chairs following on from the recent AGMs so that our grass root members and industry stakeholders are aware of who best to speak to on issues affecting their particular commodity.
Crosby Cleland with Victor Chestnutt and Sam ChesneyCrosby Cleland with Victor Chestnutt and Sam Chesney
Crosby Cleland with Victor Chestnutt and Sam Chesney

The UFU’s policy committee chairs and vice chairs have an important role to play within the organisation and the wider industry. They attend policy meetings with industry representatives to address key issues and they also help formulate policy decisions and communicate these to the UFU’s membership.

The chair and vice chair of the UFU’S Beef and Lamb Policy Committee is as follows:

Chairman

Crosby Cleland of the UFU’s North Down Group is currently chairman of the UFU’s Beef and Lamb Policy Committee.

Crosby, has in the past farmed both suckler cows, calf to beef, bull to beef and sheep but now focuses solely on sheep, stocking 800 ewes and finishing all lamb on the family farm in Saintfield, Ballynahinch, County Down.

Crosby also specialises in fencing and gates and has been very active in this capacity since 1974. Crosby has always been very active within the UFU. He is a past chairman of the UFU’s North Down Group, he has fulfilled the role of County Down Chairman and has also stood as Chairman of the UFU’s Animal Health Committee. Other additional agri related commitments/industry positions include: Focus farmer, Chairman of Agri-search sheep advisory group and is a representative of the NSA NI finance and general purpose group. He is also a member of NIBL Industry Board, FQAS standard setting, NI Wool Board Regional & NI and sits on the UK Sheep Health & Welfare Group.

Vice Chairman

Sam Chesney of the UFU’s Ards Group is currently vice chairman of the UFU’s Beef and Lamb Policy Committee. Sam currently stocks over 150 suckler cows and farms them from birth to beef on the family farm in Kircubbin, County Down.

In the past Sam has also bred pedigree texels and currently keeps a small flock of mule x Texel ewes. As well as carrying out the role of vice chairman of the UFU’s Beef and Lamb Committee, Sam is a board member of Strangford Down Marketing Co-op, a board member of AHWNI, vice chair of Agri-Search Beef Committee and he also sits on Tesco’s sustainable Beef Board.

In 2011 Sam was crowned Beef farmer of the year at a UK level and has been placed runner up in the British Grassland Competition.

Sam is very active in hosting many farm visits for both industry and consumers and continues to play an active role as a co researcher on many beef proposals.

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