The ‘Conference and Exhibition’ (Confex) of the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) is about to start at 12:00pm today (Wednesday, January 10).
The venue is the National Show Centre, Cloghran, Swords (adjacent to Dublin Airport). The association is inviting contractors and their operators to the event; it costs €20 to attend.
Image source: FCI Facebook page
According to the organisation, it has a database of 1,100 farming and forestry contractors – dotted all over the country.
The Confex theme will be ‘Contracting – A Vision for the Future’ and it will focus on “providing Irish farm and forestry contractors with a one-day event that will incorporate a series of information seminars coupled with a machinery exhibition”.
Image source: FCI Facebook page
The association has welcomed the support of FBD Insurance as the lead sponsor. It says that it has worked closely with the insurer to provide a “tailor-made insurance support service to suit the needs of Irish contractors”.
Contractor-Focused Events
Confex 2018 has apparently been modeled on the success of similar contractor-focused events run by other associations across Europe.
Through its membership of CEETTAR – the European contractors’ association – the FCI says that it has been able to call on the “support and expertise” of contractor associations in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands – all of which run similar biennial events.
Image source: FCI Facebook page
Speaking previously about the conference, FCI national chairman Richard White said the event “will provide Irish contractors with new information and advice in a structured way to help them to enhance their business to meet the needs of a changing agriculture”.
Elaborating, he said: “We want to see our FCI members play a full part in the future development of the Irish agri-food industry and this can be achieved through access to the best information in order to make the best decisions for their contracting businesses.”
Image source: FCI Facebook page