‘Record breaking’ visitor numbers at LAMMA 2024 in Birmingham

This year’s show – held at Birmingham NEC – solidified its status as a go-to event for agricultural machinery enthusiasts.

More than 40,000 visitors attended to see a host of new products being launched to the UK market alongside existing favourites.

Massey Ferguson unveiled its new flagship tractor, the 9S with six models ranging from 285 to 425hp.

JCB was another big name which returned to LAMMA this year with a host of new products including the Fastrac ICON operating system and the 514-40 telehandler.

Other new products unveiled to the UK market at LAMMA included Uni-Mog’s Uni-Touch operating system, two trailers from Richard Western, Spread-a-bale’s side throw option, an 11.2m tedder from Krone and nine new models to Kubota’s RT compact loader range.

Grange Farm Machinery introduced its Strip Till Preparator, while Dan-Agri showed its Tytan rollermill and Slovenia-based SIP revealed its DISC HD range and STAR rotary rake.

Cordex also used LAMMA to launch its new sustainable baler twine with ex-Emmerdale actor and farmer Kelvin Fletcher. He described the product as ‘a massive game changer’.

Adam Henson kicked off the LAMMA Live schedule with his talk ‘Navigating the Agricultural Landscape’, sponsored by LKAB.

He outlined the steps he is taking to future proof his own farm and encouraged farmers to embrace new schemes as a means of risk-free management, as well as new technology.

“Technology is absolutely key to what we do; from yield mapping and satellite imagery, to variable rate and soil management," he said.

"In the 1980s we managed the farm ‘from a bag or a bottle’, now we are working off a huge database of information.

“Most of the public would be amazed if they visited LAMMA – the industry has come on leaps and bounds with continual technological innovation.

"Leveraging it has really helped alleviate a lot of the external pressure facing farmers today, a lot of which we very often have little control over.”

Four speakers, including farmers Charles Anyan and Stuart Roberts, discussed the importance of normalising talking about difficulties as part of a FCN panel aimed at improving conversations around mental health.

Another panel – organised by the NFU – led discussions on the role of training in improving farm safety. Consensus was that while training was vital a change in culture was needed to embed safe practices.

“Training certainly has an important part to play,” said Marcus Potter, CEO of Lantra.

“But actually, most people who get killed or injured have been trained in the technical skills they need but for some reason at that particular time they chose not to do it in the safe way they have been taught.

“This is really about the culture of the industry and unfortunately that is quite a difficult thing to change.”

The Careers Zone was a new feature this year launched by Jobs in Agriculture.

Tess Howe, Head of Partnerships at The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH), said: “The Careers Zone at LAMMA was a natural fit for us to introduce our new online service for skills and career development. Being here allowed us a fantastic opportunity to speak face-to-face with farmers and growers about our memberships and what we are working toward at TIAH.”

LAMMA also hosted Farming Simulator League’s first-ever UK event.

The competitive League event saw teams of three people play together to harvest a crop and bale the straw before delivering bales to their barn.

Event Director Sarah Whittaker-Smith said: “The big-name manufacturers, niche offerings from smaller businesses and the superb line up in the LAMMA Live schedule really hit the spot with visitors.

"Agricultural businesses are keen to embrace new technology as they move into a new way of farming and manufacturers are stepping up their offers to help them meet the challenges.

“We look forward to building on this success next year when we return to the NEC for LAMMA in January 2025."