The recent machinery show at Punchestown racecourse was quite a success looking at the monetary value of deals done.
Irish companies won €35 million worth of export contracts during the three-day Farm Machinery Show.
Manufacturers won deals with buyers from Brazil and Argentina as well as from European nations.
The industry exports about €200million worth of goods each year and turns over €350million.
Part of the focus of this year's show was on farm safety.
Officially opening the event, Minister Brendan Smith said he wanted to remind people of the risks associated with the use of farm machinery.
"It is worth noting that of the 50 workplace related fatalities last year, 18 were on farms" he said. "It is estimated that 3,000 people are injured in the agriculture sector annually."
With the latest mushroom farm accident near Lancaster this month, safety reminders are anything but superfluous.
As the minister pointed out, "farmers should be aware that they are legally obliged to ensure that their farms are safe places for themselves and others to carry out their work and to this end, all farmers must have completed either a safety statement of a risk assessment document."
