East Durham College is proud to be working with G.T. Bunning & Sons LTD, a well-established manufacturer of farming machinery that is exported all over the world. They have recently supplied us with a brand new 8t Farmstar 80 TVA Muck Spreader which has a built-in weigh cell and on-board computer which allows precision application of farmyard manure. With the rising cost of fertiliser, it is going to be highly effective to have this machine applying nutrients to only the areas they are most needed.
The machinery was delivered by their UK and Ireland Sales Director Ben Johnson who kindly demonstrated how to safely operate it to our Level 3 2nd year Agriculture students and happily answered all their questions. “We are very pleased to be supporting the college as these are the next generation of farmers, and it’s important for the future of agriculture that they are introduced to the latest technology” Ben said.
After taking it out for a test drive with the support from Ben, our Farm Manager Keith Cook and Assistant Manager Iain Whitfield were delighted with its performance, especially with how it automatically adjusts the application depending on the speed and materials used.
As sustainability is one of the College’s core values, we are always searching for ways to become more sustainable. This machine has the latest in land-based computer technology, like the ISOBUS system which allows the tractor to communicate with the muck spreader so it can accurately control the rate of application and the width of the spread, allowing the driver to get on with the job at a commercial speed. With the price of fertiliser reaching an all-time high and pressure on the farming industry to reduce the risk of pollution, this is the perfect time to add the Farmstar Spreader to the College’s tool kit as this machine will reduce the need to purchase mineral fertilisers and will save time.
Thank you to Ben Johnson and the whole team at G.T. Bunning & Sons LTD for the state-of-the-art resource now available to our students and research teams and for the brilliant and insightful demonstration!
