FTMTA AGM

The 2017 annual general meeting of the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) will take place at noon on Thursday 7 September at the FTMTA offices near Naas. Full details, including the agenda and associated material, will be issued by email only to FTMTA member firms in due course.

JH Fitzpatrick McHale demonstration day

FTMTA member firm JH Fitzpatrick Ltd. of Monasterevin, Co Kildare, will hold a McHale demonstration day on Friday 30 June. The event will take place one mile from Monasterevin on the old Limerick Road from 11am to 4pm. There will be demonstrations of mowing, baling, wrapping and stacking, with a full range of McHale machinery demonstrating on the day.

FTMTA farm machinery trade auction

The FTMTA Farm Machinery Trade Auction announced last week has received a lot of interest. The auction, to be held in conjunction with well-known auctioneering firm Paul Cooke Auctions, will take place at Punchestown Event Centre on Saturday 30 September.

It must be reiterated that this auction will facilitate the sales of lots coming from FTMTA member firms only and lots from other sources will not be considered.

Viewing will be open at Punchestown, the long-time home of the biennial FTMTA Farm Machinery Show, on the two days prior to the auction, Thursday and Friday 28 and 29 September. Full details, including photographs, of most lots will be available online at www.paulcookeauctions.com in advance of the auction. Bidding will be possible onsite, online or through a pre-bid service.

FTMTA members have received information about the auction in recent days and further information is available from the FTMTA office on 045 409309 or at info@ftmta.ie.

Agricultural mechanisation degree closing date

With the completion of the Leaving Certificate examinations, school leavers interested in pursuing a career as service technicians in the farm machinery industry should not lose sight of the looming closing date for receipt of applications for admission to the Bachelor of Science (Agricultural Mechanisation) course in IT Tralee on 1 July. The application form and further information are available from the Courses section of the IT Tralee website.

The course is a direct entry programme and, to apply for a place on the course, prospective students, in addition to meeting the required educational standard, must have been accepted by a sponsoring farm machinery business who will provide the required work placements. Proof of acceptance by a sponsoring farm machinery business is an essential part of the application process.