Stella Meehan is currently editor of Agriland and has previously worked in the broadcasting, print and political sectors. She has a Masters in Journalism from NUI (National University of Ireland) Galway and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Sociology and Politics. She has lectured with the Irish Academy of Public Relations and mentored many of the younger journalists working in Irish media today. She comes from a farming and business background in Co. Galway and now lives in Co. Mayo.

Michelle Jordan is an agri-food communications executive with Bord Bia, specialising in farmer communications. Prior to joining Bord Bia in 2018, Michelle held a variety of roles in PR, media, events, retail and hospitality. From a farming background in east Galway, Michelle holds a degree in Culinary Entrepreneurship and a post graduate diploma in Global Business Development, both from TU Dublin. Outside of her guild role, Michelle is chair of the communications working group of the European Roundtable for Beef Sustainability.

Niall Madigan is the head of communications with the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Ireland’s largest farm representative organisation with over 72,000 members. He has worked closely with seven IFApPresidents in advising on communications strategies for campaigns at national and European level.  He joined the Guild of Agricultural Journalists in 2005 when he took up his role with IFA. Niall served as secretary to the Guild from 2012-2017. From a farming background in Co. Limerick, he worked as a broadcast journalist and current affairs presenter with Radio Kerry from 1997 to 2005. He is a BA graduate from UCD where he studied politics and economics.

David Markey has served on the AgriGuild committee for many years. He is a former chair and president of the Guild, and a former World President of the IFAJ. David was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Guild in 2015. He is the publisher of the Irish Farmers Monthly, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. 

Amy Forde is the news editor of the Irish Farmers Journal. From Annaghdown in Co. Galway, she has covered breaking news across the agricultural industry nationally and internationally. She held the position of chair of the southern section of the Guild from 2020 to 2023.

Aileen Barron is the managing director of Green Acre Marketing; a leading PR and marketing agency founded by Aileen in 2013. She has worked in the agri-business sector for over 20 years, is an Agribusiness and Marketing Graduate from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (now ATU), a business graduate from Michael Smurfit Business School, University College Dublin (UCD) and also holds a diploma in Digital Marketing from the Irish Internet Association (IIA). Aileen has a wealth of experience in communications and through the diverse team in Green Acre Marketing works with many well-known national and international agri-businesses.

Kathleen O’Sullivan is a farming reporter with the Irish Examiner. She has worked as an agricultural journalist since she finished her journalism degree in 2020. She hails from a beef farm in Co Kerry, and continues to live in Munster.

Rachel White holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in animal science from University College Dublin (UCD). As Ireland marketing manager for animal nutrition company Alltech, Rachel coordinates campaigns and advertising for the company as well as events and media. Growing up on a dairy farm in Co. Cork, Rachel began her career with Ornua in Dublin and Dubai, before completing her masters in conjunction with Teagasc Moorepark. This led to a Fulbright Scholarship spent at the University of Florida, before returning to Cork with the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA).

Bernie Commins is deputy editor of IFP Media’s flagship title, Irish Farmers Monthly. She is also editor of Irishfood magazine, which is aimed at promoting Irish food and food producers to an export market in Europe and other key destinations. She is managing editor of the Irish Farm Machinery & Equipment Yearbook and is a contributing journalist and sub-editor across other IFP Media titles. She is a former editor of the Veterinary Ireland Journal and has previous professional experience in online agri-journalism and in local/regional newspapers. Outside of work, she is PRO for the organising committee of Darkness into Light - Marlay Park, and PRO for the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation, a national voluntary emergency service.

Rebecca McConnell runs a PR and social media consultancy, Purple Rain, which she established in 2011. After graduating with an Economics degree from Queen’s University, Belfast, she began her communications career in a leading Belfast PR agency in 2006 having developed an interest in PR volunteering with her local Young Farmers’ Club. In September 2017, she travelled to Switzerland for the IFAJ press trip to experience the Entlebuch Alpabfahrt and also represented the Guild at the ENAJ AGM in Italy in October 2022 as part of a low budget press tour of the Veneto region. She was secretary of the northern section of the AgriGuild from 2020 to 2023 before becoming chairperson. Rebecca lives in Rathfriland, Co. Down, not far from the picturesque Mourne Mountains, on a dairy farm.

Richard Halleron is an agricultural chemist by background. He is a past chair of the Northern Ireland Institute of Agricultural Science and has also served as chair and president of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists in Northern Ireland. He is a news and tillage correspondent for Agriland Media as well as contributing to other farming publications.

Tom Morrow is northern correspondent with the Irish Farmers Journal, one of the foremost farming newspapers in Ireland. Earlier in his career he worked with the Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland and United Dairy Farmers looking after the farm services side of those businesses. The first step in his career was with Richardson’s Fertilisers. At Queens University, Belfast he studied agriculture and completed PhD in agricultural economics.