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 enhanced its grain harvesting line-up, covering the 600C corn heads and 600F Hydraflex draper units.
There is also a new 12 row folding corn head for the 2016 campaign, of interest to larger producers as it allows outputs of around 0.4ha per day more than a traditional 8 row set-up. Due to the increased capacity the units have been upgraded to row-unit slip clutches and the driveshaft interfaces have a longer service life.
For soyabean or small grain growers there are improvements to the 630, 635 and 640 FD Hydraflex draper units -- streamlined end-dividers to reduce crop knockdown, a wider centre feed opening to allow up to 15% more throughput, and stronger reel fingers and bearing supports to improve crop pickup and flow.
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.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
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.