Marie calls for local support in Nissan competition vote

A YOUNG woman from west of Dingle is bringing her revolutionary farm-safety product to the next level having claimed one of just 20 spots in the final of the Nissan Generation Next Competition.

Marie Martin, 22, was one of nearly 1,000 entrants for the competition. Her top-selling Safe Scrub Sprayer, which she invented as a Transition Year student at Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, earned her the title of 2011 Young Entrepreneur of the Year and might now secure another significant honour.

The sprayer is mounted on the front loader of a tractor and allows users to spray pesticides from the safety of the cab, saving time and money in the process by halving the amount of pesticides required.

“I am thrilled to make it through to the public vote,” Marie said. “Every vote counts and I hope that the people of Kerry will support me and my business by voting online. I have big ambitions, and securing the keys to a brand new Nissan would really help my business realise its potential.”

Marie says the device is the first in a long line of products she hopes to produce as part of her aim to build an international farm safety-focused company.

“We are now onto the third generation of the Safe Scrub Sprayer, and we’re selling the product internationally,” she said. “We have created new jobs in Dingle, and we intend to build on that as we expand and develop our product range.

“Entrepreneurship has become an integral part of my life. As a woman who has built a successful company in a male-dominated sector, I also want to inspire other women to be involved in entrepreneurship and agriculture, proving they can achieve success if they show initiative,” said Marie.

Local Nissan dealer Randles Brothers is backing Marie and has called for the public to vote for her online at www.nissangenerationext.ie before July 14.

“Marie exemplifies what Nissan Generation Next is all about. She is providing farmers with innovative new products to protect their health and she has been fearless in bringing her dreams and ambitions to life,” David Randles said