22 Feb 2022
Farmer and former Defra chair will take over on 1 March following the retirement of Phil Sketchley, who has headed up the Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority since 2014.
Vet Times
Job Title
AMTRA chair Michael Seals.
The Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) has announced the appointment of Michael Seals to the role of chair.
Mr Seals will take up the post following AMTRA’s council and board meeting in London on 1 March.
An experienced and well-respected figure in the animal health and welfare sector, Mr Seals succeeds Phil Sketchley, who has been chair since 2014, and is retiring after 48 years in the industry.
Mr Seals has experience within government and industry, and intends to address the market needs for the future, including the introduction of new technologies and enhanced CPD opportunities.
Mr Seals said: “My intention is to take a proactive approach, working with the board and council, to review AMTRA’s current work and identify opportunities for the future, adapting to changes, and helping to defend and deliver AMTRA’s role within the sector.
“The sector is in a period of adjustment, including Defra, VMD and across the entire sector, and there are many opportunities for us to evolve and deliver on our appetite to drive change, meeting the demands of our RAMAs [registered animal medicines advisors], their employees and the industry, as well as animal owners.
“As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, AMTRA has many strengths that it needs to harness and develop to help keep driving this change, and to support the work, training opportunities and understanding of all AMTRA RAMAs across all species.”
A livestock and arable farmer in south Derbyshire, Mr Seals recently ended a 10-year term in Defra as chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England, and as the lead in the development of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.
He has experience as chair in a number of other roles, including the not-for-profit National Fallen Stock Company, and is also the owner of a sports horse show jumping team, with breeding, training and livery facilities.
Mr Seals takes up his post following the board meeting on 1 March, and will be assisted by John Blackwell, who was elected to the position of vice-chair at AMTRA’s December 2021 board and council meeting.
Mr Blackwell, an experienced vet and former BVA president, has been a member of the AMTRA board since 2000, and takes over from Peter Rudman, who has stepped down after 16 years in the position.
