Open Country opens butter plant
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
With the launch of its first wireless farm monitoring camera FMC-IP1, dairy automation company DeLaval now offers farmers the possibility of true real-time monitoring over their livestock and buildings from smartphones, tablets or computers.
By giving farmers the freedom to monitor without being on-site, activities such as calving can be monitored more efficiently, and alarms can be checked visually.
DeLaval product manager farm supply Eva Ramvall says in an industry where cow comfort and welfare are vital to productivity, the ability to efficiently monitor the herd, from wherever the farmer happens to be, is important in maintaining a well-functioning operation.
The Farm Monitoring Camera system has been specifically designed for ease of installation and to withstand the dirt and humidity of barns as well as outdoor weather conditions. It also provides a night vision function and sound, in addition to motion detection and a recording function. This makes it ideal for a wide range of monitoring tasks, from animal and property monitoring to checking grain driers during harvesting.
The camera will be made available during the coming twelve months in all its main markets, says DeLaval.
Horticulture New Zealand says proposed changes to the Plant Variety Rights Act 2022 will drive innovation, investment and long-term productivity.
More than 1200 exhibitors will showcase their products and services at next month’s National Fieldays, with sites nearly sold out.
Despite difficult trading conditions for European machinery manufacturers brought about conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, alongside the United States imposing punitive tariffs, Italian manufacturer Maschio Gaspardo, has seen turnover increase 12% in 2025 to €390 million (NZ$775m) with a net profit of €11.2 million (NZ$22.3).
New Zealand innovation company Techion, best known for its animal diagnostics platform, FECPAK has signed an exclusive strategic partnership with Farmlands to bring independent animal health disease intelligence to its customers.
Zespri says it welcomes the recently signed Western Bay of Plenty Regional Deal, describing it as an important step towards supporting growth in the region and for New Zealand's kiwifruit industry.
Troubled milk processor Synlait has lost its third chief executive in five years.
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