John Deere Names 2026 Technician of the Year Finalists
John Deere has announced the finalists for its 2026 Technician of the Year Awards, with 30 regional finalists being named in five award categories.
John Deere has introduced the new diesel Z994R Commercial ZTrak zero-turn mower, said to offer more performance and efficiency, and available in New Zealand from early 2019.
Customers asked for more options in diesel ZTRs, hence the Z994R diesel ZTrak mower has more power and comfort, allowing operators to be more productive during long days. Its 3-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine — gross 24.7hp rated power at 3200rpm — meets Final Tier 4 emission standards. The high-torque, low-emission engine is low in vibration and noise.
To increase productivity, the Z994R has a single 43.5L diesel tank holding enough for long mowing days with an easy-to-read fuel gauge.
Operator comfort is a focus, with three available seat options, each with adjustable armrests. All seat options also have ComfortGlide fore/aft suspension that provides up to 51mm fore and aft travel to absorb bumps for a good ride. Also, a large open operator station and foot platform with plenty of legroom gives plenty of foot room and comfort.
Three mower deck options offer 54 inch or 60 inch 7-Iron Pro side-discharge mower decks, while the 60 inch 7-Iron Pro Mulch On Demand mower deck can easily switch from side-discharge mode to mulching mode with a single-move lever.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
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The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
According to a progress report on the Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan (AHAP), New Zealand's horticulture sector is making real progress on the big issues facing growers.
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