Richard Markwell, Massey Ferguson Vice President and Managing Director Europe/Africa/Middle East has been elected the new President of CEMA – the association representing producers of agricultural machinery in Europe.

“It is a pleasure and honour to take over the chairmanship of CEMA at such an exciting and challenging time,” he comments. “Today, agriculture represents a remarkably strong, vibrant and dynamic industry sector in Europe. Working together with CEMA members, my aim is to ensure that our industry will continue to flourish and be in a position to offer innovative solutions to farmers worldwide.”

“On a global level, advanced farm machinery solutions are taking on a key role to meet the challenge of doubling world food production and feeding 10 billion people in a sustainable manner by 2050,” he explains. “At European level, CEMA will work closely with the new European Commission and Parliament to ensure that the EU will find appropriate policy concepts that will benefit Europe’s industrial base, including the agricultural machinery sector.”

Commenting, Martin Richenhagen, Chairman, President and CEO of AGCO, Massey Ferguson’s parent company, said: “ It is important that AGCO is an integral part of associations like CEMA, driving the way forward for the agricultural industry. We are very confident that Richard will serve AGCO and the industry well in this position.”

Richard succeeds Gilles Dryancour who has been chairing the association for the past five years.

CEMA acts as the face and voice of the European farm machinery manufacturing sector in Brussels and also with international organisations such as the FAO.

In Europe, the farm machinery industry includes 4,500 manufacturers of agricultural equipment consisting of large multinational as well as numerous small and medium-sized enterprises. Total combined turnover is 26 billion Euros. The industry provides employment for 135,000 people directly and for another 125,000 people indirectly in the distribution and service network.