Kuhn bags tech award
French company KUHN has won a EIMA Technical Innovation Award for its Baler Automation Technology.
A British contractor recently demonstrated the capabilities of precision machinery in modern farming.
Using an 8-row Kuhn Maxima 3TL E-drill and RTK-GPS guidance, Michael Tomlinson created a 4ha maize maze at the National Forest Adventure Farm in Staffordshire.
The maze, its theme celebrating 50 years since the Apollo 11 moon landing, was crafted in a single pass without manual intervention.
Tomlinson has done similar projects for 15 years, drilling a crop in two directions then marking the pattern with canes before manual hoeing. But this season it was much easier using the precision drill’s electronic section control and variable row width adjustments to get a new level of creativity.
“We took the design to a specialist, who wrote the software to allow us to use the drill to create the desired pattern,” Tomlinson said.
“We set the drill at 37.5 cm row spacing and used twice the normal seed rate. Using autosteer, electronic section control and RTK guidance to 1cm accuracy we created the maze and ended up with a spectacular result.”
In real life Tomlinson sows about 400ha of maize and fodder beet in the area. He says the drill’s accuracy of placement saves seed, cuts operator stress and results in a mature crop that’s easier to harvest.
The drill’s arrival, with its row selection control, variable row width and an integral micro-granular fertiliser applicator, will also help extend his seeding season for other crops such as canola.
Commercial fruit and vegetable growers are being encouraged to cast their votes in the Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) board directors' election.
A unique discovery by a Palmerston North science company, Biolumic, looks set to revolutionise the value and potential of ryegrass and the secret is the application of ultraviolet (UV) light.
A New Zealand company is redefining the global collagen game by turning New Zealand sheepskin into a world-class health product.
With further extreme weather on the way, ANZ Bank is encouraging farmers and business owners impacted by the recent extreme weather and flooding to seek support if they need it.
New Zealand must continue to educate Chinese consumers about the unique qualities of its red meat products and how they differ from competitors, says Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton.
There are opportunities outside the farmgate for young farmers to further develop their skills, says 2025 Primary Industries Emerging Leader Award winner Bridie Virbickas.