The new year has started with contractors and farmers nationwide more upbeat with the recent increases in dairy payouts and, generally, a more positive outlook for the agri-sector.

While much of the baleage in New Zealand seems to be baled and wrapped in combi-style machines, there still seems to be a place for standalone machines which follow the baler around the paddock.

Family owned harvesting specialist Claas employs about 11,300 people globally and 10% of its workforce is in R&D.

The John Deere 6R Series tractors have been hugely successful, but customers’ thirst for more power in a mid-weight package will see two new models added to the range in 2017.

A product's name can give away the maker’s intent, so it’s no surprise Kawasaki’s Brute Force 750 4x4 quad is the flagship of an extended range, designed for farmers wanting to do heavy-duty jobs quickly and without fuss.

The question of load restraint can be an issue on any ute used for work.

Swedish manufacturer ALO, famous for its Quicke and Trima brands, is credited with building the first detachable loader in the late 1950s.

Kuhn has upgraded its range of high capacity tedders with a new chassis design and rotor lifting mechanism, which allows higher ground clearance and improved contour following on undulating terrain.

Having recently celebrated 25 years of its iconic Fastrac, JCB has also now pulled the wraps off the new 8000 series, to replace the current high horsepower offerings.

Thursday October 13 came and went without too much fuss (the birthday of Grantham girl Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first female prime minister); for farming folk this date was more importantly Global Fertiliser Day.