Through sheer hard work and dedication, John Russell Agricultural Contractors of Roscrea, Co Tipperary has earned a reputation that few of their competitors can equal. Irish Tractor & Agri caught up with the Tipp man who hails from a dairy background.
Agricultural contractors like John Russell Agricultural Contractors provide the farmer with a cost effective and useful alternative for many of their farming operations. They offer a large range of specialist equipment and fully qualified experienced personnel for quality and efficiency.
They have been serving their customers since 1996 but John has been immersed in the agricultural industry for much longer.
Backboned by 35 years agricultural experience, John and his dedicated team serve the farmers with their wealth of knowledge and are continuously developing their services to help improve the daily work of the farmer.
A real family business, John, with the support of his wife Cathy and sons, Cian and Keith, provides the best agricultural contracting services at competitive prices, which means their clients get the job done quickly and efficiently.
The hard graft and long hours are second nature to John and his committed and motivated employees are a valuable asset that he never underestimates.
“There are quite a few farmers who started out with us still with us,” John outlined to Irish Tractor & Agri magazine. “They’ve been very loyal to us and I like to think that is testament to the fact that we must be doing something right!
“One of my drivers, Michael Coonan, has also been with me since I started out and he’s the backbone of the operation. I can trust and rely upon him which, of course, is vital in the business. My part-time drivers are the same. Reliability is key in contracting.”
John was reared on a dairy farm and these days combines milking 65 cows on 70 acres at Couraguneen, Roscrea with his contracting business.
“I started out with one hedge cutter and progressed from there. We’re operating four hedge cutter at the minute.”
Hedge cutting is a speciality of John Russell Agricultural Contractors and their services are very much in demand in the surrounding farming community.
Customer service is paramount in their line of business and they’ve been successful in retaining the loyalty of a dedicated client base which has helped their venture prosper and grow.
The likes of Tipperary County Council, Centenary Co-Op, Campion Quarries and Roadstone, to name but a few, are also satisfied customers of John Russell Agricultural Contractors.
Slurry and lime spreading and silage are others strings to their bow and they pride themselves on their high standards.
John has invested in the latest and most cost efficient agricultural machinery to perform their work and they aim to deliver a first class service with well maintained and up-to-date equipment
“I bought a fertiliser and lime spreader back in 2008 and I spread for Centenary Co-Op, Campion Quarries and Roadstone,” he detailed.
“We’re very busy at the hedge cutting and lime spreading at the moment and cover a 30km radius. We’re dealing with approximately 100 customers, including Tipperary County Council, when it comes to hedge cutting.
“If farmers are going well, we go well but we’ve successfully secured additional work with the County Council, Co-Ops and so on. As far as hedge cutting is concerned, we’re not solely depending on the farmer which means we don’t have all our eggs in one basket.”
Down through the years, John’s business has expanded to serve today’s market and needs and, looking to the future, he sees further scope for growth in his contracting business.
“The way farming is going, the workload is getting bigger on farmers so they’re looking to bring in contractors to do more work. Lime is the cheapest form of fertilser and a lot of farmers are heading in that direction.”
When it comes to professionalism, reliability and diversity in their range of services, John Russell Agricultural Contractors are your one stop and they are always willing to help.
For any more information on their services, contact John at the number below. With his range of agricultural contracting services, modern and reliable equipment, plus a highly skilled workforce, he will help improve efficiency on your farm.
John Russell Agricultural Contractors Ltd
Gurtderrybeg
Couraguneen
Roscrea
Tipperary
Mob: 087 2462214
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 4 No 9, November/December 2016
John Russell Agricultural Contractors
