With the evolving state of farm machinery and legislation, and the withdrawal of Basic Payments, the focus on efficiencies will be more crucial than ever for farmers and contractors.
Visitors to the Midlands Machinery Show on the 9th and 10th of November will be able to see the latest equipment and listen to new advice to help their businesses to adapt and thrive.
“Featuring 100s of exhibitors including national manufacturers, distributors and regional dealers, live demonstrations and a packed seminar programme, there will be something for everyone, from the smallest producer to the largest arable contractor,” said show manager Elizabeth Halsall.
New to the event will be the green power demonstration, featuring the latest electric tractors and telehandlers from manufacturers such as Kramer and Manitou, as well as large machinery and groundcare demonstrations.
The National Association of Agricultural Contractors will be holding a seminar at the event, which will cover changes to red diesel regulations, new machinery grants and how to work successfully with contractors.
Such discussions are particularly relevant as over 90% of farmers use contractors, says the association’s Jill Hewitt. “With the decline of subsidies, I think more farmers are going to be looking to contractors rather than investing in machinery themselves.”
The seminar programme will also include optimising machinery sharing with the Lincolnshire Machinery Ring, succession planning with Wilkin Chapman solicitors and rainwater harvesting with JRH Water Management. There will also be a focus on the environment, with a range of technical topics from carbon audits to steps towards net-zero.
“Net-zero represents a fantastic opportunity for agriculture, with farmers and growers brilliantly placed to both contribute to and benefit from the transition,” said Bruno Gardner, managing director of NFU EnZero.
Climate change brings other challenges and increasingly uncertain weather patterns have turned attention to optimising grain quality post-harvest. New technologies on the market are available to improve efficiencies, speed throughput and protect the grain.
“The benefits of correctly and efficiently handling and storing grain post-harvest cannot be ignored any longer,” said Richard Flach, co-owner of grain drying specialist Flach and Le-Roy.
Keeping equipment running during busy times of the year remains a concern and the Midlands Agricultural Engineering Apprenticeship Award is back for its fifth year.
“The award aims to raise the profile of the sector and support young people from diverse backgrounds and skill-sets to develop the abilities they need to embark on successful agricultural careers,” said Simon Eccleston, CEO of the Newark & Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society.
There will also be the opportunity to see how John Deere tractors are produced, with a special live stream of the Mannheim factory in Germany.
“Building a modern tractor is extremely complex,” explained Chris Wiltshire, marketing manager at John Deere UK & Ireland. “Visitors will be able to see how we build and test our tractors, with commentary and close-up views which you wouldn’t even get at an in-person visit.”
For more information go to www.midlandsmachineryshow.com