@ContractorsFCI

FCI Association of Farm Contractors in Ireland is Ireland's democratic farm contractor association & a member of CEETTAR, the European contractors association

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Many FCI members supported the anti Mercosur rally in Athlone today

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FCI managing director speaking at the anti Mercosur rally in Athlone today

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Members of the FCI National Council meeting with Ciaran Mullooly, MEP and Michael Fitzmaurice, TD at the anti Mercosur rally in Athlone today.

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FCI National Contractor Conference next week, book your place now, for worthwhile information updates, network opportunities and to support your sector that now has an annual turnover of more than €1 billion.
Book your place now.

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The FCI team leaving the BLU office following a good CEETTAR meeting with the place of contractors in the new CAP reform as a high priority held during Agritechnica Show at the German Contractors Association BLU offices in Wunstorf, Germany.
@ceettar

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Gary Culbert has joined FCI as the Association’s new Communications Officer.
Gary comes from a Tipperary agri contracting & farming background. He is also completing an MA Degree in Journalism & Digital Communications at UL.
Gary can be contacted at [email protected]

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Volvo's new new L20 electric compact wheel loader.

Features a 20% increase in battery.

Eight hours battery.

22kW electric motor powering the driveline and a 14kW motor working the hydraulics.

Operating weight of 4,550 kg.

Tipping load of 3,050kg.

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At the National Ploughing Championships Managing Director of FCI Ann Gleeson Hanrahan spoke with a number of politicians to promote the Irish contracting sector and highlight issues in the Irish contracting industry.

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FCI Calls for the End of the Roadside Hedgecutting ban.

Find out why: https://t.co/BbRXigHtSn

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Find out how your business can benefit from working with FCI today!

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80% of agricultural drivers in Ireland earning €15-€20 an hour

https://t.co/2PiD7eGAEM

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A few snaps from our executive council meeting on Thursday.

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Visit https://t.co/TQ7QqHlCmP and find out why a FCI membership may be beneficial for your business.

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"This bark beetle has decimated crops across Europe. Have we not learned anything from the Ash dieback?"

Listen to Managing Director Ann Hanrahan Gleeson on Kerry Radio's Agritime Podcast as she discusses the number of issues surrounding windblow.

https://t.co/24IOxwNvPJ

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Check out FCI's latest post!
https://t.co/Wu8sGP4Y8m

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Many thanks to Silotite for inviting our members to their Road SHow on April 2025.

Can't wait to see you there!

[de Paor Liam @LiamdePaor]

Silotite Roadshow 2025

New Developments in Baled Silage Conservation-

By the end of April farmers will start to make baled silage. There are a lot of new developments such as the Film & Film system which is rapidly growing in popularity.

With this new system Baletite film replaces netwrap and you get a bale which is cross wrapped, tighter and much better protected with minimal losses during storage.

Bales have a longer storage life and are better suited to handling. Baletite enhances the ensiling process and protects the forage by creating additional layers of protection around the bale.

Baletite provides an air barrier, that helps to prevent the growth of white mould, which can cause significant losses of valuable silage. Farmers have minimal problems with moulds in higher DM silage which is more difficult to conserve and typically used for horses & sheep.

According to Dr. Tom Butler (ex Teagasc, Moorepark) an independent Agri nutritionist these bales are worth about €5 more to the farmer. Silotite balewrap the market leader worldwide is now available as SilotitePro Sustane an environmentally friendly film which contains 25% recycled bale wrap.

This film is also on 1800m reels so busy contactors save time as each reel will wrap 20% more bales. The new Silotite is packed in patented polythene sleeves which unlike boxes can be recycled along with the Baletite and balewrap.

Silotite reels now take up less space than boxes in warehouses and during transport -a further environmental & financial benefit. The new Silotite is a lighter but stronger film so farmers have significantly less balewrap to recycle and can make savings on their reycycling costs as the IFFPG group have increased their recycling prices again this year.

The minimum charge at IFFPG bring centres this year will be €60 per half tonne. In 2023, the charge was €35 per half tonne through lightweighting and the incorporation of recycled content, the environmental load of SilotitePro1800 Sustane 23 μm film is ±24% less than our standard 25 μm film, thereby supporting the circular economy.

Obviously with a new system and using the latest models of integrated baler wrappers new contractors and those often employing younger and less experienced operators are on a learning curve.

So Berry Global who manufacture Baletite and Silotite have been busy organising numerous training sessions during March and April in Britain and Ireland for silage contractors.

Those attending on the day will be entered in a valuable prize draw for 20 rolls of Sustane and a roll of Baletite. Those Interested in attending can visit https://t.co/sydLdkHynO to register

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https://t.co/iSX62HEJf4

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Many thanks to Birr community school for inviting FCI to their tractor training day at FRS Roscrea. It was a very informing and engaging afternoon.

FCI received a very warm welcome and got to meet some possible future members!