Christmas Message from AFBI CEO and Staff

As we approach the Christmas Season I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our friends, stakeholders and colleagues throughout the agri-food industry a very happy Christmas and peaceful and prosperous New Year.

2018 has been another successful year for AFBI, but also one which has seen a number of significant changes. During the year, a number of major research projects have been won and launched. We have also worked very closely with our sponsoring department, the Department of Agriculture, and Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to progress key infrastructural projects including work relating to the new Animal Health Sciences building on the Stormont site, the replacement of the Research Vessel Corystes and drawing up plans for replacement animal accommodation at our Hillsborough facility.

In May, we were pleased to launch a strategic alliance with Queen's University Belfast which will see closer working arrangements as we speak to support the local agri-food sector. In September, DAERA published the outcome of the Tailered Review of AFBI. I and colleagues, were pleased to see the report hightlight the importance and value of AFBI science to both DAERA and the wider agri-food industry. Indeed the report opens new opportunities for AFBI to continually improve going forward.

Since taking up post as Chief Executive in September, I have met with staff accross AFBI and have had the privilege to see at first hand their professionalism and dedication to the role that AFBI plays in improving agriculture and livestock production, protecting the natural and marine environments, and ensuring high standard of animal health, plant health and food safety are achieved.

I and my senior management colleagues look forward to 2019 which will see AFBI put in place key aspects of our new corporate plan as we seek to deliver for society, the ecomomy and the environment and to invest in and develop our infrastructure and scientific capability to meet the many global and local challenges that the agri- food sectors faces.

Dr Stanley McDowell
AFBI CEO

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