Fieldays 2026 Returns to Mystery Creek This June
Tickets have officially gone on sale for Fieldays 2026, marking less than 50 days until the event.
Irish agritech company MagGrow has won the International Innovation Award at the 2020 Fieldays Innovations Competition.
MagGrow won the award for its technology that significantly reduces waste associated with conventional pesticide spray applications.
The company suggests a major issue with most conventional spraying methods for crop production is wastage, with up to 70% of conventional pesticides sprays not hitting or staying on the target crop. MagGrow has addressed this issue with a simple, two-component spraying technology that can be installed on new equipment or retrofitted on to existing sprayers.
The patented, proprietary technology passes pesticides through magnetic fields under appropriate flow conditions and changes the physical properties of the fluid to optimise the spray droplets. This delivers both superior spray drift control and crop coverage. Increased spray coverage performance can range from 36% to 100% compared to conventional spraying.
Added benefits include a reduction in water usage by up to 50%, alongside an extended spraying window. Users will typically see a return on their investment in less than a year on chemical savings alone, as well as healthier and less diseased crops due to the improved crop coverage.
Meanwhile, the increased coverage supports a reduction in labour requirements. Another key consideration for farmers is the fact there is little or no maintenance, with no moving parts, cables, or electrical wires.
Gary Wickham, co-founder and chief executive of MagGrow, says the new technology has been created and commercialised to help farmers meet their individual profitability and sustainability goals.
“New Zealand has always been on our radar as a major supplier in the agricultural food supply chain and critically, an early adopter of innovation and new technology,” he told Rural News. “We are hoping to soon install our systems onto key customer farms where we will demonstrate our award-winning technology.”
MagGrow is currently working with Trimble Ag, and other leading dealers throughout New Zealand, and is supported locally by Enterprise Ireland.
Penske Australia & New Zealand has appointed Stephen Kelly as the general manager of its Penske NZ operations, effective immediately In this role he will oversee all NZ branch operations, including energy solutions, mining, commercial vehicles, defence, marine, and rail, while continuing to be based at Penske’s Christchurch branch.
According to the latest Federated Farmers-Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report, released today, farm worker pay growth has levelled off after a post-Covid period of rapid growth.
The Climate Change Commission has recommended maintaining the current New Zealand Emissions Trading System (NZ ETS) settings but warns of a potential unit shortfall as early as 2028.
The Conservative Party warns that the upcoming free trade agreement between New Zealand and India may prioritise increased labour mobility while offering limited reassurance for New Zealand workers.
Southland District Council says it is actively managing the impacts of the current fuel supply challenges to ensure essential services across the district continue to operate safely and reliably.
A large crowd turned out for the last of the field days of the three finalists in this years Ahuwhenua Trophy to determine the top Maori horticulture entity in Aotearoa New Zealand