Farm Machinery Dealers at Your Service
2009-06-10

With millions of pounds worth of sophisticated machinery on display at Cereals 09, the industry is taking the opportunity to raise the profile of the key dealership support function for modern farming technology; the service technicians.

The photograph, which was taken at the Cereals site in June, shows examples of technicians who are registered under the established LTA (Landbased Technicians Accreditation) scheme. This is an industry wide collaboration which sees the competitive manufacturers working together in unison. LTA is an independently accredited scheme with regular skills updating and testing, designed to raise the profile of dealership technicians and underline their value to the industry.

All LTA registered technicians are working in a highly skilled sector to professional standards, validated by the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) to an approved code of conduct. Those achieving LTA3 & LTA4 levels are also recognised by the industry’s professional body, IAgrE, and registered as engineering technicians (EngTech) with the Engineering Council. These technicians can display their name and full qualifications, on their service vehicles. The scheme is supported by IAgrE, AEA, (Agricultural Engineers Association) BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) and Lantra (Sector Skills Council for Landbased Industries).

“The LTA scheme recognises an individual’s competence and experience as a skilled professional, with the ability to maintain and improve the performance of modern agricultural equipment,” says Chris Whetnall, chief executive of IAgrE. “By choosing a dealer with LTA registered technicians, you can be confident that your equipment servicing and repair will be to the highest standards.

“Compared to the value of today’s farm equipment, the cost of regular and proper servicing and maintenance, provides extremely good value for money. The landbased machinery industry is very fortunate to have such well qualified and enthusiastic people, committed to this vital support role.“

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