Anna Marie McHugh is General Secretary of the World Ploughing Organisation and National Ploughing Association Assistant Managing Director.
Through her work with the World Ploughing Organization, Anna Marie liaises with 30 affiliate countries spanning 4 continents and co-ordinates the World Ploughing Contest in a different country every year. The Secretariat of the WPO is based at Anna Marie’s office in Ireland and she is the first Irish and first female secretary in the 63-year history of the World Organization.
Anna Marie grew up on a middle size farm close to Ballylinan, Co.Laois, and has one brother. She is married to a Wexford farmer and has one son. She was very involved in Macra na Ferime growing up and was a member of the National Council of Macra for a term.
Anna Marie worked as a Professional Youth worker for Foroige for a number of years before starting her career with the NPA.
Anna Marie studied Business and Marketing in Carlow IT and returned to college to take her media studies further and successfully completed a 2 year part time Diploma in PR through the Public Relations Institute of Dublin.
In her spare time Anna Marie likes to travel and plough – she is a former National Ploughing Champion in the ‘Queen of the Plough’ and Macra na Ferime ‘Queen of the Land’ Winner.
Anna Marie has served as a Board Member of Agri Aware and is currently a Director on the TU Dublin Foundation Board.