North West Armagh UFU group focus

The Pogue family have been active UFU members for over four decades. Raymond’s father Charlie held local positions and was central pigs committee chair, as well as group and county chair.

Raymond is the fourth-generation farmer at Milltown, just outside Benburb, and pig production has always been a big part of this family farm. Raymond has been joined by his son Stuart in the business and they currently contract finish around 2000 pigs per annum.

The Pogue family are also well known in the pedigree livestock sector as breeders of Hereford cattle. Their stock bull won the 2023 Hereford bull of the year Perpetual Challenge Cup presented by the Irish Hereford Breeders Association. Raymond has just recently been appointed as treasurer of the committee.

After Raymond left agri college, he established Pogue Soil Solutions in the early 1990s which involves working with farmers and growers to get soil in optimum condition to maximise output. The Pogue’s are also distributors for JFC Agri Products as part of the farm diversification portfolio.

Other representatives elected for the next two years are: Group vice chair and beef and lamb committee rep, James Speers; Dairy committee rep, Alan McConnell; Pork and bacon committee rep, Keith Emerson; Hill farming committee rep, George McWhiter; Potato committee rep, Andrew Sloane, Seeds and cereals committee rep, Joe McCarragher; Rural development and rural enterprise committee rep, Josh Morton; Poultry committee rep, James Compston; Rural affairs committee rep, Joy Rollston; Legislation committee rep, Stephen Hamilton.