Extension of Members of the Board of the Northern Ireland Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute

The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, has announced the extension of Martyn Blair, Bill Montgomery and Thérèse Rafferty as Members of the Board of Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) Board for a three-month period while a public appointment process is ongoing to appoint new Members to the Board. 

This decision has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments in Northern Ireland and the extended terms will take effect from 1 May 2025.

Notes to editors:

1. AFBI is a DAERA Executive Non-Departmental Public Body set up under the powers of the Agriculture (NI) Order 2004.  It is empowered under the Order to undertake scientific work (research and development, testing, advice and information on scientific matters and dissemination of the results of scientific research) in the fields of agriculture, animal health and welfare, food, fisheries, forestry, the natural environment and rural development and enterprise. 
2. These Members' appointments, which were originally made on 1 May 2022, were made on merit and political activity played no part in the selection process.  However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.  The appointees have not been involved in any political activity during the past five years.
3. Board Members receive a Per Diem Rate of £436 and their time commitment is unlikely to exceed 20 days per annum.
4. Martyn Blair has served as a Member of the AFBI Board for one term, from 1 May 2022, with the current term due to end on 30 April 2025.  Martyn owns and operates a commercial egg production business and a medium dairy calf to store beef enterprise.  He is a member of the Ulster Farmers' Union Executive committee, has held a position as UFU Board member for four years and also sat on the Board of the Northern Ireland Agricultural Research and Development Council.  He was a member of the expert working group on Sustainable Land Management.   He is a past president of the YFCU, a past chairman of the UFU Poultry committee, was a member of their inaugural next generation committee and currently sits on their environment committee and is current chairman of North Antrim UFU Group. 
5. Bill Montgomery has served as a Member of the AFBI Board for one term, from 1 May 2022, with the current term due to end on 30 April 2025.  Bill has 34 years' experience in economic development working for the Industrial Development Board and Invest Northern Ireland.  An engineering graduate of Queen's University Belfast he also later attained an MBA in International Business & Industrial Development from the University of Ulster.  Bill had a variety of roles in economic development, including leading the sales and marketing teams in North America for 11 years promoting Northern Ireland as an investment location to many major US corporations.  Director roles in Northern Ireland have included leading the International Investment Division, negotiating and securing high value global projects, and more recently encouraging export growth and innovation with the advanced manufacturing sectors.  Bill also joined the board of Belfast Metropolitan College in October 2022.  Bill received an OBE for his contribution to the economy of Northern Ireland in 2023.
6. Thérèse Rafferty has served as a Member of the AFBI Board for one term, from 1 May 2022, with the current term due to end on 30 April 2025.  Thérèse has held senior roles over a career of 35 years in higher education and local government. Her experience includes the delivery of a wide portfolio of capital development programmes and environmental initiatives, economic and arts development, financial and corporate planning, performance and risk management, and corporate governance. She is currently a Board Member and Trustee of National Museums Northern Ireland.