AGCO to take majority stake in Trimble
Global agricultural machinery manufacturer AGCO is set to become a majority owner of Trimble’s precision agriculture business.
Agco has picked up eight AE50 Awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
Each year the society chooses 50 products deemed to be the most outstanding innovations in engineering and technology in agriculture.
Of the innovations chosen, tractors feature highly, with the latest sixth-generation Fendt 700 picked out for its redesigned operator station, featuring the FendtOne interface.
A 30cm primary screen mounted on the operator armrest can be further optioned with another 30cm drop down screen fitted into the roof lining, or a 25cm digital dashboard on the steering column. Both 30cm displays work in unison, offering up to 12 panes of information for the operator across two screens. The Fendt 700 series is available in six models from 144 to 237hp.
The latest Fendt 1100 Vario MT Series is a tracked machine featuring the Fendt iD powertrain, debuted on the 1000 series, using a high torque-low engine speed concept through the VarioDrive continuously variable transmission. All machine functions including CVT, PTO, cooling and hydraulic functions are optimised to work within engine speeds of 1100-1500rpm, said to result in low fuel consumption, reduced engine and component wear and quiet operation.
Designed to reduce operator workload and improve in-field precision, the Fendt Teach-In Headland Turn Assistant, as the name suggests, delivers hands-free turns at the headland for the tractor and implement. Offering a traditional U-turn mode, the unit can also perform a Part-Field Function that allows bouts to be “skipped”, as an example, during deep ripping or cultivation.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.