Individuals with deep connections to Northern Ireland’s agriculture, marine science and food production sectors have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2026, with DAERA Minister Andrew Muir leading tributes to their decades of public service and innovation.
The recipients include current and former senior officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), leading scientists, and prominent industry figures. Their recognition comes at a time of significant transition, with four of the recipients having recently retired or stepped down from long-held positions.
Recognising decades of public service
Among those receiving MBEs are two current or former DAERA directors. Claire Vincent, Deputy Director of the Department’s Marine and Fisheries Division, receives her honour for services to marine science and coastal water quality. A marine science graduate, Ms Vincent has spent 30 years working in coastal water quality management and previously served as Acting Director of the division. She is also known as a year-round sea swimmer with a personal interest in bathing water standards.
Rosemary Agnew, former Director of Agricultural Policy at DAERA, is recognised for services to agriculture. Dr Agnew, who holds a PhD in Animal Science, led the department’s EU preparations and the development of future agricultural policy frameworks, including work on sustainable agriculture support programmes. She was made a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society in 2004 for her outstanding contribution to agriculture in Northern Ireland.
Dr Stephen Jess, a former senior scientist at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), receives a British Empire Medal (BEM). An entomologist with more than 40 years’ experience in crop protection, Dr Jess has been a key figure in pesticide usage monitoring and sustainable crop management research.
Industry and academic leadership
The honours also recognise contributions from outside government. Wesley Aston, who retired in March 2026 after a 34-year career with the Ulster Farmers’ Union, including ten years as Chief Executive, receives an MBE for services to agriculture. Mr Aston, who comes from a small beef and sheep farm in County Armagh, guided the union through major industry challenges including BSE, Foot and Mouth disease, Brexit, and the development of new sustainable agriculture support schemes.
Professor Peter Robertson of Queen’s University Belfast, who retired in May 2026 after more than 30 years in higher education, receives an MBE for services to research and innovation. An expert in photocatalytic technology for energy and water sustainability, Professor Robertson chaired Queen’s Change Management Group and was instrumental in the university’s carbon reduction initiatives.
Harry Geddis, co-founder and co-chair of Craigavon-based Avondale Foods, receives an MBE for services to entrepreneurship and innovation. Founded in 1965 with his brother Derek (who died in 2024), Avondale Foods grew from a family vegetable-growing operation into one of Northern Ireland’s largest food producers, achieving sales of £102.5 million in 2025 and employing over 400 people.
William Moore also receives an MBE for services to agriculture, though specific details of his contribution were not provided in the departmental announcement.
A moment of transition
The timing of these honours highlights a significant turnover in Northern Ireland’s agricultural and scientific leadership. Four of the recipients have left their posts within the past three months, raising questions about succession planning and the retention of institutional knowledge within key public and academic institutions.
Across Northern Ireland as a whole, 81 people were recognised in the 2026 Birthday Honours List out of 1,182 recipients nationwide. Other notable local recipients include UTV broadcaster Rose Neill (MBE for broadcasting and charity), Susan Lagdon of Ulster University (MBE for services to ending violence against women and girls), and Bert Deane of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (OBE).
Minister’s tribute
Minister Muir offered his congratulations to all recipients, highlighting their collective impact on Northern Ireland’s rural and scientific communities.
“It’s really heartening to see people who have dedicated years of service to Northern Ireland’s agriculture, marine and scientific communities being recognised.
“All of these individuals have shown outstanding leadership and the recognition they have received is very well deserved.
“On behalf of the Department, I would like to congratulate them all and also all the other people who have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours for their contribution to society today.”
Questions for the future
While the honours recognise past achievements, several questions emerge about the future of the sectors these individuals have shaped:
- How will DAERA and AFBI replace the accumulated policy expertise of Dr Agnew and Dr Jess, particularly as Northern Ireland continues to navigate post-Brexit agricultural transitions?
- With both Professor Robertson’s retirement and Wesley Aston’s departure from the UFU occurring within months of each other, what does this simultaneous loss of senior leadership mean for the development of sustainable energy and agricultural policy in the coming years?
- Will the recognition of family-owned businesses like Avondale Foods encourage greater government support for similar small-scale agri-food enterprises, or does the £100m+ turnover of such operations suggest the sector is already consolidating beyond traditional family farm models?
- How can the honours system better capture the contributions of mid-career professionals who are currently leading on-the-ground delivery, given that several of this year’s recipients are being recognised at or near the end of their careers?
Anyone wishing to nominate individuals for future honours can do so through the official GOV.UK honours nomination portal.