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.
The Spartan II is available with 6-inch or 7.5-inch row spacing, alternate row seding, individual row shut-off and individual row depth control.
The Great Plains Spartan II triple disc, no-till air drill range has been updated to meet the evolving New Zealand market.
The Spartan II is available with 6-inch or 7.5-inch row spacing, alternate row seeding, individual row shut-off and individual row depth control. All the machines have double-shoot capability, making for versatility in the compact no-till, air drill market.
Enhancements to the MY2020 NTA607-2 Spartan, first released in 2018, sees a revised hydraulic circuit design. This optimises the proven active row-unit down pressure system, as well as folding to ensure every seed is planted at the correct depth to maximise germination.
Other improvements include upgrades to more durable 18-ply rear castor tyres and a redesigned row-unit mounting bracket for increased durability and reduced maintenance. A software update also supports the use of prescription maps for variable rate application to ensure growers maximise efficiency and profitability.
“Given the Spartan’s popularity in fodder production and pasture renovation, the Spartan 2’s blockage monitor system has been optimised to work better with small, low-rate pasture seeds such as ryegrass,” says Great Plains product manager for Australia and New Zealand John Moloney.
“We’re very excited to bring this updated Spartan II to the New Zealand market. The new enhancements will help our customers overcome the challenges of operating in a tough New Zealand landscape,” Moloney adds.
New Zealand's new Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Horowhenua dairy farmer, company director and former Minister of Agriculture, Nathan Guy says the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India is a good deal for the country.
New figures show dairy farmers are not only holding on to their international workforce, but are also supporting those staff to step into higher-skilled roles on farm.
New tractor deliveries for 2025 jumped 10% compared to the previous year, a reflection of the positive primary sector outlook, according to the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA).
Entries have opened for two awards in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) programme, aimed at helping young farmers progress to farm ownership.
Federated Farmers has confirmed interim chief executive Mike Siermans to the role.
Registrations are now open for the 2026 Ruralco Golf Classic, with all proceeds from the event set to support the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust.

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