North West Armagh UFU group focus

Andrew Brown GM with Joe McCarragher beef and sheep winner. Pic: UFU

The North West Armagh group office has relocated from Dobbin Street in Armagh city to the Formation Works building at Edenaveys Industrial Estate, just off the Armagh/Newry road.

This is a bespoke office which also accommodates the Armagh Down group and is close to the County Armagh DAERA office as well as an animal veterinary practice. There is ample parking for jeeps and trailers which makes it an ideal location for members and customers to visit without any parking restrictions.

The group managers were delighted that Joe and Colin McCarragher from Richhill got placed third in the Northern Ireland 2023 winter barley competition which was judged in July. Cups and vouchers were presented during the year to the winners of the 2022 silage competition.

Joe McCarragher from Creeveroe won the ATM (Lislea Mills) Cup for the beef and sheep class. Stephen Hamilton from Collone won the Tom Cornett Agri Supplies Cup for the first time in the dairy class and Billy Morton from Ballyards won the John Bell Agri Merchants Cup in the big bale class. The group are indebted to the local businesses for their ongoing support for the competition.

Rodney Wilson, group manager, with Billy Morton big bale winner. Pic: UFU

Following the Health and Safety Executive NI’s announcement of an eight-month programme of workplace based transport inspections on farms across the Provence, an event was undertaken at the Formation Works a couple of weeks ago to help members prepare for these inspections. Vulcan Inspection Services and representatives from the NFU Mutual risk management services gave a practical demonstration of what is involved in a telescopic handler inspection.

The office has details of companies who offer training for both tele-handlers and ATV’s.