FTMTA welcomes new members

The May meeting of the FTMTA executive council was pleased to admit a further three firms to membership of the association. Gerry Duffy Machinery Ltd is a long-established farm machinery dealership based in Kilbrew, Ashbourne, Co Meath. The business is a Same Deutz-Fahr tractor dealer and is also a dealer for a number of other brands of farm machinery including Amazone. Gerry Duffy Machinery Ltd can be contacted on 01-835 2556 and the website can be found at www.gerryduffymachinery.com .

John Conaty Ltd is a well-known parts supplier based at Sylvan Park, Kells, Co Meath. The business can be contacted on 046-924 1178 and the website can be found at www.johnconaty.com. John Conaty Ltd is a supplier of new and secondhand parts, as well as used tractors and plant.

Farm Works Machinery Ltd is a relatively new business in the farm machinery trade, having been founded in recent years. Led by Ciaran Tierney, the company is the Fendt tractor dealer for Dublin and Meath. Farm Works Machinery Ltd can be contacted on 01-843 3015 and at info@farmworksmachinery.ie .

FTMTA member firm scoops New Holland award

The FTMTA extends its congratulations to member firm, Cowan Tractors of Manorcunningham, Co Donegal, on its recent receipt of the New Holland Agriculture Irish Dealer of the Year award for 2016. The annual awards highlights excellence in sales performance and service quality given to customers across the New Holland dealer network. Well done to Bertie and the team at Cowans from FTMTA.

Agricultural degree course

With the Leaving Certificate exams only a matter of weeks away, it is timely to remind those students interested in pursuing the bachelor of science (agricultural mechanisation) course in IT Tralee that it is a requirement of the application process that they submit evidence of a farm machinery business willing to provide them with the required work placements. Application forms and further information are available from the courses section of the IT Tralee website.

The FTMTA is encouraging its member firms to support the course and is asking that any firms planning to take on trainees for the service role from this year’s school leavers consider this route, which is specifically designed to produce the agricultural technicians required by the industry for the future. It seems likely that demand from prospective entrants will far outstrip the availability of work placements for incoming first years and, for that reason, the FTMTA encourages those interested in the course not to delay in making enquiries in this regard.

The association has no involvement in securing placements for individual students but is happy to hold details of students who are having difficulties in getting a placement to provide to any members who may be looking for students.