Henk Jan Ormel is the new chair of the Council on Animal Affairs (RDA). The Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN) and Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) have approved his appointment for a four-year term. Effective February 1st, Ormel took over from Jan Staman, who served as chair of the RDA for the past eight years.
Ormel is looking forward to his new position. "Animals are living, sentient beings with whom we live together. I look forward to contributing to a respectful treatment of animals, together with the council members, the RDA youth network, and the support office."
Ormel served as a Member of Parliament (2002-2012) and Member of the European Parliament (2024) for the CDA. Prior to that, he worked for many years as a practicing veterinarian in a mixed practice. From 2012 to 2022, he worked at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Since September 2024, Ormel has been chairman of the Central Committee on Animal Experiments (CCD).