Farming smarter with technology
The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.
With many European manufacturers releasing mechanical weeding systems to counter the backlash around the use and possible banning of agrochemicals, Amazone has added a new model to its Venterra mechanical hoe range.
Joining the existing 2K Series that offers working widths from 1-12 metres, the new 1K lightweight all-rounder is available in working widths up to 4.2m.
Designed for smaller operations and tractors from 60hp, the modular design allows the rearmounted hoe to be equipped with various parallelograms for row widths from 16cm to 90cm. Numerous tools can also be fitted, and the patented RapidoClip quick-change system allows blades to be changed without tools, while an optional kit also allows front mounting.
Easing the load on the operator, two row guidance options both control the side-shifting frame. The Horus camera system recognises the crop based on its position or, in 3D mode, on the height differences, while recognition can also be provided by colour selection.
No manual adjustments are needed with the in-house developed SmartVision camera system due to its automatic slope correction and the option of use with a row sensor.
The Venterra 1K can also be used with various Amazone machines to combine hoeing with other tasks, like the FTender front hopper that works in conjunction with a distribution head on the hoe, or the RowSpray band sprayer that can be used with the same front hopper. Other details include a GPS-Switch for automatic part-width section control, which raises and lowers the hoeing units hydraulically and individually.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the 2025 Fieldays has been one of more positive he has attended.
A fundraiser dinner held in conjunction with Fieldays raised over $300,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
Recent results from its 2024 financial year has seen global farm machinery player John Deere record a significant slump in the profits of its agricultural division over the last year, with a 64% drop in the last quarter of the year, compared to that of 2023.
An agribusiness, helping to turn a long-standing animal welfare and waste issue into a high-value protein stream for the dairy and red meat sector, has picked up a top innovation award at Fieldays.
The Fieldays Innovation Award winners have been announced with Auckland’s Ruminant Biotech taking out the Prototype Award.
Following twelve years of litigation, a conclusion could be in sight of Waikato’s controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1).
OPINION: Last week, Greenpeace lit up Fonterra's Auckland headquarters with 'messages from the common people' - that the sector is…
OPINION: Once upon a time the Fieldays were for real farmers, salt of the earth people who thrived on hard…