Meurig Raymond stands down as NFU president today as the farmers' union prepares to elect a successor to the top post.
There are two nominees to take over the post, which will be announced today (21 February) at the union’s AGM in Birmingham.
One of them is Minette Batters, the NFU's current deputy president. She is seen as the favourite to succeed Mr Raymond, and could become the first female President in the union’s 109 year history.
Mrs Batters has been an NFU member from grassroots through to county chairman, she served as Wiltshire’s council delegate and also as regional board chairman for the South West.
She runs a diversified, mixed farming business that includes horse livery, a wedding and corporate events venue and a catering business specialising in home grown produce.
She co-founded the campaigning initiatives ‘Ladies in Beef’ and the ‘Great British Beef Week’.
The other nominee is Guy Smith, currently vice president of the union. Guy farms a mixed and diversified family farm in north east Essex.
He served for eight years on NFU council as the Essex delegate. Other NFU positions he has held include four years as a member of the governance board and six years as chair of the NFU communications group.
’Outstanding leader’
Environment Secretary Michael Gove paid tribute to Meurig Raymond during a speech at the NFU's annual conference in Birmingham.
He described the retiring president as "an outstanding leader of this organisation, a powerful voice for farmers and a highly effective advocate for agriculture."
He said: “I have hugely valued your candour and wisdom and will miss our regular meetings. Everyone in this room should know, and I am sure does, how determinedly you have stood up for their interests in all our conversations and you deserve the gratitude of everyone in this room for your exemplary leadership.
“Thank you for the work you’ve done. You leave very big boots to fill.”
Meurig Raymond, who farms 3,400 acres in Pembrokeshire, was first elected local branch Chairman of the NFU in 1979 and Pembrokeshire County Chairman in 1989.
In 1992 he became the Welsh NFU Treasurer and served as the Pembrokeshire delegate on NFU Council between 1995 and 2004.
He served as Vice-Chairman of the NFU's Cereals Committee between 1999 and 2001 and served on the Agricultural Wages Board for six years from 1998.
He was elected as Vice President of the NFU in 2004, became Deputy President in 2006 and President in 2014.
