increase font size
Fieldays visitors used 50% more data than last year, says Vodafone.
Visitors to the Vodafone Fieldays site had access to free Vodafone Rural Connect wi-fi and were able to gauge mobile and broadband coverage on their properties using Smart Farm Test stations.
During the four days Vodafone reported 50% more data traffic than last year and 1TB of data downloaded. Many people used the free Fieldays smartphone app to find their way on the 113ha Mystery Creek property.
Vodafone teamed with agribusinesses to exhibit streamlined pasture and milk monitoring, farm management, health and safety compliance and accident prevention.
"Rural wireless broadband now gets to 78% of the rural population," said Vodafone consumer director Matt Williams.
"So farmers get technology on offer from Vodafone's Smart Farm Innovation Partners, to cut costs and to simplify labour intensive work.
"Technology shared by our partners attracted plenty of interest. These innovations can help improve decisionmaking and be a practical way to do things better to save money and boost productivity."
The company's partner Blerter was on site showing its real-time health and safety app.
Available on smartphones, tablets, PCs and wearable devices, Blerter enables farmers to instantly report incidents, observations and near misses, and use instant messaging to workers.
The Rural Broadband Initiative of Vodafone, Chorus and the Government is bringing wireless broadband to 290,000 rural households.
"Rural people want access to the same internet and data speeds as elsewhere and... no one will miss out on being able to run their households and businesses with the latest technology," Williams said.
In 2013-2015, rural data usage increased by 270%.
OPINION: The Rural Support Trust ran a dinner and debate at the National Fieldays last month. In tables of 10, over 540 people were wined and dined, including the Prime Minister, supported by ministers from around the country.
Virtual fencing company Halter is going global but for founder Craig Piggott, New Zealand farmers will always remain their main partners.
OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.
OPINION: Once upon a time the Fieldays were for real farmers, salt of the earth people who thrived on hard yakka.
In 2015, the signing of a joint venture between St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Lincoln University saw the start of an exciting new chapter for Owl Farm as the first demonstration dairy farm in the North Island. Ten years on, the joint venture is still going strong.
Sheep milk processor Maui Milk is on track to record average ewe production of 500 litres by 2030, says outgoing chief executive Greg Hamill.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling for cross-party consensus on the country's overarching environmental goals.
Changes to New Zealand’s postal service has left rural communities disappointed.
A $10 milk price remains on the cards for this season despite recent softening of global dairy prices.
Alliance is urging its farmer-shareholders to have their say on the proposed $250 million strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats Group.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…
