FTMTA welcomes new members

The April meeting of the FTMTA executive council admitted two firms to membership of the association.

Denis Doyle Ltd, trading as Doyle Engineering, is a machinery manufacturer based near Athy, Co Kildare, and has been in business for over 20 years. The firm manufactures post drivers and seeding equipment and has perhaps been best known until now for its Vibro vibrating post driver. Doyle Engineering can be contacted on 059 863 3183 and the website is www.ddoyleeng.com.

Aidan & Phil Flynn Ltd, trading as Killucan Farm Machinery, is a retail farm machinery dealer based in Killucan, Co Westmeath. The firm is a dealer for a number of brands of machinery including Kuhn, Hi-Spec, Watson and Guttler. Killucan Farm Machinery can be contacted on 044 935 8486.

Addition to FTMTA staff

Conor McGuinness joined the staff of the Association in October of last year in the role of member relationship executive. A Bachelor of Business Studies with Equine Business graduate from NUI Maynooth, Conor comes from a farming background in Carbury, Co Kildare, and maintains an active interest in the equine world.

Conor worked closely on the preparations and organisation of the recent FTMTA Farm Machinery Show and would have dealt with many members of the trade in that capacity. Conor is now settling into the member-based focus of his role with FTMTA and has commenced a programme of visits to existing and prospective members around the country .

Conor can be contacted at the FTMTA office on 045 409 309 or at membership@ftmta.ie .

Drone use on the up in US farming

Following the great interest in the agricultural application of drone technology seen in the Future of Farming area at this year’s FTMTA Farm Machinery Show, it is interesting to note the results of a recent US survey showing significant use of such technology by farmers there this year. The survey, by Farm Journal Media Pulse, of more than 1,000 US farmers and ranchers, highlighted that one-third of those surveyed expect to make use of drone technology in their farming business during 2017. Over 20% of respondents expect to operate drones themselves, with another 12% planning to avail of third-party suppliers. Less than 40% of respondents indicated no interest in the technology.