Almost all of CEJA’s 31 member organisations were represented at the meeting and elected Jannes Maes, former CEJA Vice-President and young dairy farmer from Belgium, to be the new President of the organisation for the next two years.
Born in December 1991, Jannes Maes grew up on a Flemish farm (dairy cattle, sheep and arable crops) in Aalter, East of Flanders and has been passionate about agriculture and horticulture since childhood. He later attended secondary agricultural education and then obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture. Today, he works with his family in their dairy farm, cooperating with other farmers in collecting and processing their milk.
Mr Maes’s team will be made up of four Vice-Presidents including: Iris Bouwers from the Netherlands, actively farming in a mixed farm; Christoph Daun a dairy farmer from Germany; Tomáš Ignác Fénix a Czech farmer running an organic fruit family farm and Seán Finan a beef farmer from Ireland.
The CEJA Presidential elections followed a goodbye speech from outgoing President Alan Jagoe, recounting the achievements of his team over the last two years and underlining his continued commitment to support for young farmers across Europe. Mr. Jagoe was particularly pleased that a member of his own team has been elected to succeed him as President for the next two years in order to carry on the work already begun.
Commenting on his new post just moments after being elected, Mr. Maes thanked all the delegations for their support, saying “I am honoured to be given the chance to lead CEJA in further putting the voice and challenges of young farmers in the debate. Together with a strong team, I will work towards clear positions, an open network and strengthened organisation. Building on previous achievements, these must lead to better and equal opportunities for all European young farmers.”
