This week’s episode of Farmland comes to you from the 2022 Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) Farm Machinery Show and discusses the outlook for the machinery industry, as well as some of the show’s highlights, such as the world’s first methane-powered tractor.

The programme, which is now available on the Agriland platform or by clicking the YouTube link above, hosts the president of the FTMTA Diarmuid Claridge, who talks about some of the challenges the machinery sector is experiencing.

Exacerbated by Brexit, Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine, a “components crisis” has emerged for machinery manufacturers, meaning the prices, supplies and delivery times of products are uncertain at the moment.

However, Claridge points out that significant research and development has taken place over recent years to bring farmers a more advanced, efficient machine for the price they pay.

Also on Farmland

Later in the programme, area sales manager for New Holland, Liam Hayde, speaks to Agriland editor Stella Meehan, about the brand’s new 100% methane-powered tractor, which is the first of its kind worldwide.

Hayde explains that the tractor, which is a modified version of the T6 180, was first prototyped by New Holland in 2013, before undergoing years of development.

Access to the methane that will power the tractor is now the biggest question mark, according to Hayde. However, he outlines that he doesn’t think it will be long until the biomethane-producing infrastructure that is needed for this, such as anaerobic digestors, is in place.

New Holland’s methane-powered tractor

Looking to the future, both Claridge and Hayde paint a positive picture, saying that despite the current challenges, the demand for food production is growing and without machinery, there is no food.

The latest episode and podcast of Farmland is now available on the Agriland platform. All episodes can be streamed via the award-winning digital platform, agriland.ie, and links will also be available across Agriland social media platforms.

All episodes of Farmland can be viewed by clicking here.