Kubota joins forces with Hurricanes
Japanese agricultural equipment maker Kubota will have its stamp on the home jersey for the Hurricanes.
If you want a sneak peek at Kubota’s vision for the future, look no further than its Concept-X tractor recently unveiled in Kyoto City.
Designed to commemorate the Japanese company’s 130th anniversary, the fully autonomous, tracked machine is said to be packed with artificial intelligence and electrification technology. The layout centres around the increasingly popular use of rubber tracks at each corner, with electrical power being achieved by lithium-ion and solar batteries.
The vehicle is also able to adjust its working height to give sufficient clearance for a range of crops, while also using the same technology to “lower” itself to increase traction in difficult ground conditions.
Steering is effected by changing the speed of each electric wheel motor, said to result in a very tight turning radius The company suggests that the development of such concepts addresses the two main challenges in the Japanese agricultural sector: those of labour shortages and the increasing average age of the country’s farmers.
A further ten commercial beef farmers have been selected to take part in the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme to help drive the uptake of genetics in the industry.
This morning, NZ Young Farmers (NZYF) has announced that Cheyne Gillooly will take over as its chief executive in June.
The message for the 2025 World Bee Day is a call to action for sustainable practices that support bees, improve food security, and protect biosecurity in the face of mounting climate pressures.
Consumers around the world are willing to pay more for products containing dairy and this is driving demand for butter and cream, says Fonterra.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters often describes NZ as a small and isolated nation situated 'just north of the penguins' but says in terms of global affairs, NZ and other small nations should be judged on the quality of their arguments and not the size of their military.
Use of agricultural drones by contractors in New Zealand is soaring.