From Tullamore to Tuscany

Well readers, as I pen this month’s column, I am sitting in my office looking out at a beautiful, crisp morning. The grass is growing, the weather is being kind, and my local GAA club Courtwood, which is very close to my heart, is in the senior county final.
The 95th National Ploughing Championships, which I was heavily involved in – for the three weeks of set-up and all the days of the event – had sunshine, light showers, and record numbers in attendance for the second year at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
The highlights of this year’s spectacle were the vast array of farm, plant, and construction machinery, livestock, motors, fashion, and much more besides. But what topped it all off, for me, was the atmosphere and the good humour of people against the backdrop of rising commodity prices and fuel charges.
There is no denying the appeal of The Ploughing, especially for media and content creators. Every tick-tocker, agri-influencer, and social media pundit was there. Content creators were banging out content on social platforms before the event, during the event, and after the event. I liken it to The Electric Picnic of agriculture. It was almost ‘cool’ to be in Screggan at the Ploughing. Politicians, presidents, bishops, ambassadors, and European Commissioners were all there! Robots, autonomous tractors, and solar panels were displayed alongside fashion shows and brown-bread making. Every Government department, bank, and business serving both urban and rural Ireland were present. All angles were covered and boxes ticked.
And that brings me to the point. How important is it to exhibit at The Ploughing and attend the event? People and companies have different views on this and that’s fine, but can you afford to miss an opportunity to put your product or services in front of a potential audience of 245,000 people? Can you afford not to visit and learn about what is happening in rural Ireland, to find out what is making the headlines in agriculture in terms of machinery, tech, the environment, the social aspect, etc.? If you can, well, fair play! But I really think you should put it on your bucket list. Everyone should go one time, but it probably won’t be their last! As the lights came down in Screggan, Tullamore, they lit up in Rathangan, Co. Kildare, as The Ploughing moves on once again in 2027 to a new home.
I walked out the gates of The Ploughing in Tullamore and, a few days later, was on a plane bound for Tuscany, in Italy, where I joined my Tractor of the Year jury members and friends. We drove the latest that Claas has to offer with their new tractor ranges. I can tell you, it is some experience to drive large kit on the wrong side of the road, as we would call it, on narrow Tuscan roads with sheer drops on both sides. No room for error. You would not want to be a nervous driver. The Claas event was held at the largest vineyard in the region, also the most technically advanced. It was just amazing to see and experience.
As we stood in the Tucsan sunset with a glass of the finest wine on offer, the conversation turned to fuel, fodder, finance, and farming, and the expansion of Indian and Chinese manufacturers into Europe. To sum up: finance on farms is going to be tight right across Europe; and as India and China set their sights on Europe, we must accept this new norm! 

Until next month, farm safely, farm wisely.