Deputy President of the NFU, Meurig Raymond MBE, farms 3000 acres in Pembrokeshire, in partnership with his twin brother and with the help of his eldest son, James. The farm comprises 2000 acres of combinable crops, 285 acres of potatoes, 600 dairy cows with 300 followers and around 2,500 store lambs, fattened during winter. In April 2011 the farm started trialling a Polaris Ranger 400, mainly for the livestock side, checking on the animals, rounding up, transporting feed and repairing fences. "The Ranger is in constant use," says Meurig, "it’s highly reliable and much appreciated by the staff." The farm previously used a quad or fork lift to move feed around but find the Ranger much more versatile for transportation and with the added advantage in moving across the fields it’s so much lighter, causing minimum pressure and damage.
The Ranger benefits from industry leading front and independent rear suspension with on-demand all-wheel drive and versatrac turf mode which help to minimize scuffing of the grass. It offers a safer, more comfortable means to tending livestock and working hard around the farm. "It’s an excellent piece of kit, I can’t speak highly enough of it," Meurig adds, "it’s just the job, the lads love it to bits and I would have another." Meurig was elected local branch Chairman of the NFU in 1979 and subsequently he served as Vice-Chairman of the NFU’s Cereals Committee between 1999 and 2001 and on the Agricultural Wages Board for six years from 1998. He became Vice President of the NFU in 2004 and Deputy President in 2006. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours in January 2005 for his services to agriculture. Polaris Britain 0800 915 6720 www.polaris-britain.com
