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22
Nov 2021
Ripon's tractor boss celebrates 60 years in agriculture
Ripon Farm Services managing director Geoff Brown has seen huge changes in farming machinery over the past 60 years.
Mr Brown began his career in 1961, back when tractors still ran on petrol and were not even four-wheeled drive.
This year the company showed the world's largest combine harvester at the Great Yorkshire Show.
Mr Brown started as a 16-year-old apprentice at car and agricultural machinery dealers Glovers of Ripon.
He worked for the Appleyard Group as its John Deere demonstrator before forming Ripon Farm Services in 1982 alongside local businessmen Maurice Hymas and Bill Houseman.
The company has grown to become one of the biggest in Ripon, employing 260 employees people and having a turnover of over £100m.
It is now the UK’s largest John Deere dealership with 11 depots and groundscare machinery departments.
Read more:
Ripon hosts first farming memorial service
Green Shoots: Is the future of farming in the Washburn Valley?
Mr Brown said:
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