John Deere launches Harvest Profit in NZ & Australia
Recently released in Australia and New Zealand by John Deere, a unique new software platform offers near real time profitability monitoring across crops and individual paddocks.
Paul Spinks has incorporated a 600W microwave and a travel kettle into the linkage-mounted front weight block on his John Deere tractor.
Everyone likes a hot savoury and a steaming cuppa for morning “smoko” but it seems that one UK tractor driver has made sure it happens every day.
Paul Spinks has moved on from air conditioning and multiple cup holders to incorporate a 600W microwave and a travel kettle into the linkage-mounted front weight block on his John Deere tractor.
Power for the project comes from a 1000W inverter, tucked under the operators seat, that also doubles up to provide power to tools such as grinders and drills, via a waterproof socket mounted at the front of the tractor.
The traditional looking weight block is split into three compartments, with concrete in the centre section, storage for tools and spares to the right and a double sealed, moisture proofed cabinet for the culinary hardware to the left.
The microwave is held in place by a frame a ratchet strap, making removal easy, although we have no reports on the likely lifetime of the microwave when subjected to long days in a rough paddock.
Sheep infant nutrition maker Blue River Dairy is hoping to use its success in China as a springboard into other markets in future.
Plentiful milk supplies from key producer countries are weighing down global dairy prices.
The recent windstorm that cut power to dairy farms across Southland for days has taught farmers one lesson – keep a generator handy on each farm.
The effects of the big windstorm of late October will be felt in lost production in coming weeks as repair crews work through the backlog of toppled irrigation pivots, says Culverden dairy farmer Fran Gunn.
The dairy sector is hopeful of being part of a free trade deal being hammered out between New Zealand and India.
With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.