Carrfields expands South Island footprint with Agricentre South Kubota dealership acquisition
Two of the South Island’s agricultural machinery dealers are undertaking strategic changes designed to deliver even greater specialist support to farmers.
Kubota has announced plans to start field testing the autonomous hydrogen powered fuel cell tractor it recently unveiled at Expo 25 in Osaka Japan.
The concept vehicle uses a fuel cell supplied with compressed hydrogen, stored in dual tanks below the hood, with the electricity generated powering two electric motors - one powering the wheels, the second driving the PTO system.
Offering the ability to operate via remote control, the vehicle is 4.4m long x 2.3m high x 2.2m wide – a similar size to a standard agricultural tractor.
Regarding endurance, Kubota reports that the hydrogen tanks offer enough capacity to allow the tractor to work for half a day, with performance similar to that of a conventional 100hp tractor.
The field testing will be used to verify these claims, alongside a focus on unmanned operation, efficient refuelling and research to confirm the fuel cell configuration can match the performance and reliability of a diesel-powered tractor.
Additional reductions to costs for forest owners in the Emissions Trading Scheme Registry (ETS) have been announced by the Government.
Animal welfare is of paramount importance to New Zealand's dairy industry, with consumers increasingly interested in how food is produced, not just the quality of the final product.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay is encouraging farmers and growers to stay up to date with weather warnings and seek support should they need it.
The closure of SH2 Waioweka Gorge could result in significant delays and additional costs for freight customers around the Upper North Island, says Transporting New Zealand.
OPINION: The year has started positively for New Zealand dairy farmers and things are likely to get better.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Director General Ray Smith believes there is potential for an increase in dairy farming in New Zealand.

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