Jim Breen

Jim Breen Profile Picture

Jim Breen is from a farming background. He studied Engineering in University College Dublin. He worked for agricultural media outlets and, most recently, was the mechanisation advisor for DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) and engineering programme manager at CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise). He now lives in Offaly.

Auction report: ‘Best of the rest’ under the hammer at Punchestown
Auction report: ‘Best of the rest’ under the hammer at Punchestown

The second Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) auction (of used tractors and machinery) took place on Saturday (February...

Here’s a self-propelled harvester with a difference; but what is it?
Here’s a self-propelled harvester with a difference; but what is it?

The CSP Metitron 560 (pictured above) can produce pellets from a variety of ‘raw materials’. It’s designed to be used...

New wagons for 2018 silage season from Pottinger
New wagons for 2018 silage season from Pottinger

Pottinger has introduced two new Torro COMBILINE silage wagons – the 7010 and 8010 models. The Torro 7010 has a...

Claas adds smaller tedders and rakes to its line-up
Claas adds smaller tedders and rakes to its line-up

According to Claas, its new VOLTO 55 tedder and LINER 320 rake bring “advanced technology features” that, until now, have only...

Auction report: How did tankers and tubs fare at Punchestown?
Auction report: How did tankers and tubs fare at Punchestown?

The second Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) auction (of used tractors and machinery) took place on Saturday (February...

Auction report: How much for tillage machinery at Punchestown?
Auction report: How much for tillage machinery at Punchestown?

The second Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) auction (of used tractors and machinery) took place on Saturday (February...

Auction report: See what silage machinery fetched at Punchestown
Auction report: See what silage machinery fetched at Punchestown

The second Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) auction (of used tractors and machinery) took place on Saturday (February...

Auction report: Tractor prices from today’s FTMTA Irish auction
Auction report: Tractor prices from today’s FTMTA Irish auction

The second Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) auction (of used tractors and machinery) took place today (Saturday, February...

Pics: Could you ‘stretch’ to a telehandler at this auction?
Pics: Could you ‘stretch’ to a telehandler at this auction?

A sizeable auction of tractors and farm machinery – organised by the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) –...

Pics: Tractors at the ready for second FTMTA auction
Pics: Tractors at the ready for second FTMTA auction

A sizeable auction of tractors and farm machinery – organised by the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) –...

Valtra takes poll position…but not where you might expect
Valtra takes poll position…but not where you might expect

Valtra claims that its fourth-generation tractors are finding favour around Europe; it points to three lesser-known countries where the brand...

Vaderstad ‘turns over’ €225 million in a ‘positive’ 2017
Vaderstad ‘turns over’ €225 million in a ‘positive’ 2017

Vaderstad closed the 2017 financial year with “good results”, as turnover increased by 12%. In general, 2017 has been regarded...

28% of all new tractors sold in the UK are John Deeres
28% of all new tractors sold in the UK are John Deeres

John Deere has a tight grasp on the new tractor market in the UK. Figures released by the AEA (Agricultural...

Tractor sales spiked across Europe in late 2017…but why?
Tractor sales spiked across Europe in late 2017…but why?

How are sales of new tractors faring across Europe? CEMA – an umbrella body representing the agricultural machinery manufacturing industry across...

Pics: Classic ‘Deeres’ take pride of place at ‘Heritage’ celebration
Pics: Classic ‘Deeres’ take pride of place at ‘Heritage’ celebration

Fingal Vintage Society, together with Hanlon Machinery, hosted a ‘John Deere Heritage‘ evening on Saturday (February 17). The event celebrated 100...

Nostalgia: Where did John Deere self-propelled foragers come from?
Nostalgia: Where did John Deere self-propelled foragers come from?

Here in Ireland, the self-propelled forage harvester has been something of a phenomenon going right back to the 1970s. What...

Auction report: ‘Best of the rest’ from Irish contracting fleet sale
Auction report: ‘Best of the rest’ from Irish contracting fleet sale

A major ‘on-site‘ machinery sale (auction) was held on behalf of David Hatton (who is retiring from his silage contracting...

Auction report: ‘Fresh’ Irish contracting fleet goes under the hammer
Auction report: ‘Fresh’ Irish contracting fleet goes under the hammer

A major ‘on-site‘ machinery sale (auction) was held on behalf of David Hatton (who is retiring from his silage contracting...