Cogeca, the European agri-cooperatives organisation, has elected Lennart Nilsson of Sweden's LRF as its new president, effective January 2024.
He will lead the organisation representing over 22,000 farming cooperatives across the EU from 2024 to 2026, Copa-Cogeca noted.
In the new role, Nilsson succeeds Ramon Armengol of Spain's Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias.
Lennart Nilsson commented, "I'm well aware of the responsibility I'll have to shoulder in the months ahead. The obstacles we've had to face in recent years have been numerous, from the consequences of the COVID crisis to the war in Ukraine to galloping inflation.
"I would like to thank Ramon Armengol for the way he has led our organisation through these difficult times. I intend to continue his work, particularly involving young farmers in the cooperative movement all across the EU."
Vice President Elections
Cogeca also elected six vice presidents, including Agnieszka Maliszewska of Federacja Branżowych Związków Producentów Rolnych, Poland); Leonardo Pofferi of Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane, Italy; and Florentin Bercu of the Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation, Romania.
Others elected were Mickael Marcerou of La Coopération Agricole, France; Christian Høegh-Andersen of Landbrug & Fødevarer, Denmark; and Idalino Leão of Confederacão Nacional das Cooperativas Agrícolas e do Crédito Agrícola de Portugal, Portugal.
Nilsson stated, "We have a lot of challenges for the future. We hope that we farmers and cooperatives can be part of the discussion at the EU level concerning the solutions.
"We have several possibilities to provide the EU with good, safe food, but also energy and biomass. Cooperatives will play a key role in the green transitions."
