Lely order book 'slightly better'
Dairy automation company Lely reported a 3.4% decline in total turnover last year but notes that sales are picking up.
Off-road specialists Polaris has launched a new speedcontrol and geofencing kit, aimed at keeping operators and workplaces safer by allowing users to set maximum speed limits and limit speeds in geofenced areas.
The maximum speed limit can be controlled using a passcode-protected, new dashboard, or remotely via the Polaris Ride Command app, that is also required to set geofence parameters.
After downloading the app to a smart device from the App Store or Google Play, users can create an account, then set maximum speed limits and add geofence parameters to be ‘pushed’ to their vehicle.
The ‘virtual’ geofence allows those with access to specify vehicle speeds for inside and outside a defined area.
Both speeds can be set individually from 9.7km/h to 88.9km/h in approximately 3.2km/h increments. A geofence will not stop the vehicle but will slow the unit to the pre-programmed speed limit, as determined by management. Users can store up to three geofences in the Ride Command app, but only one geofence can be enabled at a time. The kits are available for 2020 and 2021 Ranger, Ranger Premium, Ranger EPS 1000 and Ranger Crew models at $575 from certified Polaris dealers.
Alan Collins, managing director for Polaris Australia & New Zealand, says farmers and commercial operators alike will find the benefits of speed control and geofencing extremely useful as it enables them to take control of the safety of their workers.
“This is achieved by controlling ride boundaries due to unsafe conditions or high traffic areas, limiting speed due to challenging terrain or ensuring operators are riding at the appropriate speed for their experience level.”
The 2025 South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) chairman, Rangiora farmer Andrew Stewart, is predicting a successful event on the back of good news coming out of the farming sector and with it a greater level of optimism among farmers.
WorkSafe New Zealand is calling on farmers to consider how vehicles move inside their barns and sheds, following a sentencing for a death at one of South Canterbury’s biggest agribusinesses.
Now is not the time to stop incorporating plantain into dairy pasture systems to reduce nitrogen (N) loss, says Agricom Australasia brand manager Mark Brown.
Building on the success of last year's events, the opportunity to attend People Expos is back for 2025, offering farmers the chance to be inspired and gain more tips and insights for their toolkits to support their people on farm.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser SustaiN – which contains a urease inhibitor that reduces the amount of ammonia released to the air – has now been registered by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). It is the first fertiliser in New Zealand to achieve this status.
Precision application of nitrogen can improve yields, but the costs of testing currently outweigh improved returns, according to new research from Plant and Food Research, MPI and Ravensdown.
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