With marts unable to operate as normal this year, technology is helping farmers to run their businesses while saving both time and money.
MartEye was founded at the start of the pandemic to help marts and farmers buy and sell livestock online. Since launching just six months ago, the Portershed-based company has grown at a phenomenal rate and is used in 40 marts across Ireland and the UK.
The mart is more than just a place to sell animals; it is a lifeline, a social connector, and a place where people come together to chat, get the news, and of course hopefully get a deal.
At the centre of MartEye’s technology is a first of its kind digital gavel, carved from sustainable Irish ash and fitted with state-of-the-art electronics that sync the offline auction with the online. The platform also features a dashboard for the auctioneer and an app for the farmers. The app is free, the marts pay a fixed fee per month for the technology.
“Our goal was to create a product that would be affordable, easy to use, and could be set up quickly,” said MartEye co-founder Mark McGann. “We consulted with mart owners early on to establish their needs, along with the needs of the sellers and buyers. We currently have over 50,000 active users and more than €150 million has been sold through the platform in just a few short months.
Watching trade at night
“When the marts started letting buyers in again, our downloads and engagement continued to grow at pace,” he added. “The average time people spend in an app is usually around five minutes, and with MartEye it is five times that. People enjoy watching the trade even late into the night. Farmers need the mart, and with Covid 19 that is all in doubt, MartEye has proved to be a very valuable tool in ensuring farming in Ireland can continue.
“One farmer told us just last week, ‘I love it, now if you could just get them to deliver the cattle so I don’t have to go out in the cold and collect I’d be laughing.’”
Now, the company is working to give back to the farming community with MartAid, an innovative charity auction event taking place next month.
“The response from the farming community has been incredible, and as a team we all felt the need to give back, so on November 5 a number of marts from all over Ireland will concurrently host a live charity auction, MartAid,” Mr McGann explained. “The money raised will be donated to Embrace FARM in support of the work they do in helping those affected by farm accidents.”
This event will be streamed globally on MartEye so farming communities throughout Ireland will be able to bid on hundreds of exciting products and experiences.
Tragic accident
Embrace FARM was founded by Brian and Norma Rohan, a farming family from Shanahoe, County Laois, in 2014. Brian, with his wife Norma and extended family, lost his father Liam Rohan to a farm accident in 2013.
Liam Rohan was a popular and respected farmer and had represented Ireland many times at the World Ploughing Championships. Liam suffered a severe blow to his head while carrying out repair work on machinery, and sadly died days later.
Like most farming families the Rohans experienced invaluable support from neighbours and friends, but were surprised to find that there was little or no emotional or practical support networks available to farm families suffering such loss.
Farm safety is vitally important. Statistics from the Health and Safety Authority highlight that people are almost 10 times more likely to be killed working on a farm than any other workplace in this country. Almost half of all workplace deaths in this country are on farms.
“The impact a farm tragedy leaves behind on the family is huge, the emotional loss is only one aspect, there is also a practical loss,” said Norma Rohan of Embrace FARM. “In the majority of cases it’s the farmer himself that is killed, the man that knows the running of the farm, probably has the bank account in his own name, that’s frozen, probably knows every little nook and cranny on his farm, where the wet spots are in fields, knows just how to tweak a bit of machinery to get it running smoothly, these are just a few little examples.
“His spouse who is left behind may know the workings of the farm, but often doesn’t as she will have her own off farm job, so she is left with what to do with the farm, how to manage her children’s grief, and how to cope with all the decisions that suddenly need to be made. In many cases she has to live right next to in-laws who may or may not be happy with some of the decisions she has to make.”
Mark McGann added: “The marts and people have been so generous with their prizes and time for MartAid, with the prizes including a training session with Irish and Lions Rugby legend Sean O’Brien, a team talk with the 18 times all Ireland Cork legend Rena Buckley, a training session with the Galway hurling star Joe Canning, two Liverpool jerseys signed by Jamie Carragher, Moocall sensors, a €400 voucher from O’Donovan Engineering in County Cork [Cork Marts], 1,000 litres of tractor diesel from Ross Oil, Farnanes, two calving camera kits, and more coming every day. AXA Insurance has also been so generous and didn’t hesitate to support this project from the beginning.”
MartAid will begin at 6pm on Thursday November 5. To support MartAid check out www.marteye.ie/martaid or find it on Facebook and Twitter. To find out more about Embrace Farm visit embracefarm.com
