Fendt 900 Vario Marks 50,000 Units With Anniversary Edition
Fendt's 900 Vario was unveiled at Agritechnica 1995 and has since gone on to become a popular choice for farmers and contractors worldwide.
Last month's Agritechnica event led to a wide group of manufacturers celebrating successes when the 2026 Tractor of the Year Competition winners, selected by a panel of European journalists, were announced in Hanover Germany.
Claas took out the High-Power category with its Axion 9.450 Terra Trac, with the judging panel noting its “combination of power density, hydraulic capability, and data-driven performance management”. In practical terms, this was demonstrated by a rear lift capacity of 11 tonnes and the ability to reach a 40kph road speed at only 1350rpm. They also commented, “the tractor integrates high output with machine optimisation tools and smart functions suited to larger farms.”
The Mid-Power category was won by Fendt’s 516 Vario, picking up the Award for its “balance of efficiency, comfort, and versatility as a reference in the mid-power class” with the jury also describing it, as being a tractor where “compact dimensions meet premium technology”.
Also from the AGCO stable, Valtra’s G125 CVT Active was awarded the Utility Tractor of the Year thanks to its “blend of agility, user-friendly operation, and technological integration, while also representing the evolution of compact versatility and featuring a robust hydraulic system, excellent visibility, and an ergonomic cab layout optimised for loader work”.
New Holland’s T4.120 F Auto Command, featuring a continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology for the narrow tractor segment, won the Specialised category. The jury praised its “compact design and premium technology, setting a new standard for vineyard and orchard applications”.
JCB’s recently released Fastrac 6300 claimed victory in the Sustainable Category, with the jury citing it as “an example of sustainable innovation that combines intelligent engineering, digital connectivity, and care for the soil to deliver productivity with responsibility”, adding that it “redefines the balance between performance, efficiency, and sustainability in high-speed tractor engineering”.
The final award was the TOTY Bot, first introduced in 2024 to recognise robotic tractors. This was taken out to AgXeed’s 2.055 W3, which is “an autonomous platform marking a concrete step toward robotic field operations and a commercial readiness and open architecture as key steps toward scalable, autonomous agriculture”.
Just a matter of hours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic trip to New Zealand, the political doors in India swung wide open for Associate Minister of Agriculture, Mark Patterson, who was there to help promote our high-quality coarse wool.
A new company set up to cultivate and supply seaweed for animal methane mitigation studies believes it could be a game changer for the dairy industry.
There's strong support from the horticulture sector for the Government's plans to overhaul and streamline the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.
With entries now open for the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, organisers have launched a campaign to bust some of the biggest myths they think might be preventing farmers and growers from putting themselves forward.
Changes to an act of parliament seen as critical to speeding up access to overseas products to control pests and invasive species in NZ is unlikely to get passed before the November election.
Recent storm damage to roading infrastructure around New Zealand has prompted a call for the Government to change the settings for funding rural roads - with the aim of providing more money to make them more resilient to adverse events.

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